
/f/^ 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

FOREST SERVICE. 

HENRY S. GRAVES, Forester. 



THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

REGULATIONS OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE 
AND INSTRUCTIONS TO FOREST OFFICERS RELAT- 
ING TO THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE 
FOREST SERVICE, AND THE PROTECTION AND 
USE OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



ISSUED BY THE 

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, 

TO TAKE EFFECT 

AUGUST 12, 1912. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION 

AND 

PROTECTION. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1912. 



u. s. dp:partment of agriculture, 

.' S FORKST SERVICE. 

HENRY S. GRAVES, Forester. 



THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

REGULATIONS OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE 

AND INSTRUCTIONS TO FOREST OFFICERS RELAT- j*^^ ' 

ING TO THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE ^ f^ 

FOREST SERVICE, AND THE PROTECTION AND 
USE OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 



ISSUED BY THE 

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, 

TO TAKE EFFECT 

AUGUST 12, 1912. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION 

AND 

PROTECTION. 




WASHINGTON: 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1912. 



\\ 



c.V> 






The Secretary * * * may make such rules aud regulations * * * as 
will insure the objects of such reservations, namely, to regulate their occupancy 
and use and to preserve the forests thereon from destruction; and any violation 
of the provisions of this act or such rules and regulations shall be punished 
[by $500 fine or 12 months' imprisonment, or both] as is provided for in the act 
of June 4, 1888, amending section 53SS of the Revised Statutes of the United 
States. (Act of Juiie 4, 1897, 30 Stat., 11.) 

2 i 

OCT 4 1<^'? 



\^' 







- CONTENTS 
a 

Regulations: Page. 

Age limit of applicants for ranger 11 

Maximum rates for meals and lodging 11 

Forage .-■-.•■. : 11 

Appeals from disciplinary action 11 

Accessibility of public records H 

Cooperation in enforcing State fire laws 12 

Fire protection cooperative agreements 12 

Protection of water supply ] 2 

Sale of condemned property 12 

The National Forests: 

Their purpose 13 

History of their establishment 13 

The Forest Service: 

Estcxblishment 15 

Relation of forest officers to the public 15 

The field organization of the Forest Service : 

Districts 15 

National Forests 15 

Forest officers 15 

Field officers 15 

Skilled and unskilled laborers 16 

Clerks 16 

Division of Accounts 16 

Office of the Solicitor 16 

District committees 16 

Duties of Service and district officers and supervisors when in the field : 

Washington officers 17 

District officers 17 

Instructions issued in the field 17 

Inspectors 17 

Authority of supervisor 17 

Field equipment and expenses of forest officers: 

Equipment * 17 

Subsistence and lodging ' 18 

Subsistence in lieu of salary 18 

Subsistence at ranger stations 18 

Subsistence from forest users 18 

Forage 18 

Supplies for motor vehicles 18 

Transfer of household effects 19 

The forest badge i 19 

When not on duty 19 

Summary of comparative cost of living expenses 19 

Quarters : 

District offices 19 

Supervisors' offices 19 

Rangers' offices, storage, and other quarters 20 

Lease of land 20 

Construction of buildings 20 

Ranger stations 20 

Quarters in Government buildings 20 

Signs 21 

Property notices 21 

Use of flag 21 

Maintenance of quarters 21 

Equipment 21 

3 



4 CONTENTS. 

The administrative plan: Page. 

The forest force 21 

District rangers 21 

Assistant for district rangers 22 

Project assistants _- 22 

Data for working plans to be obtained by specially qualified assistants. 22 

Preparation for making working plans 22 

Allotment for working plan 22 

Nontechnical assistance 22 

Clerical assistants 22 

Annual allotment estimate 23 

The business of the forest 23 

Outline of the forest organization 24 

Estimate of allotment 24 

Annual appropriation estimates 24 

Control of forest force: 

Policy 24 

Qualifications of forest officers 24 

Relations between officers 24 

Selection 25 

Assignment 25 

Authority to assign or transfer 25 

Supervision 25 

Probational appointments 25 

Salaries and promotions 25 

Outside employment 26 

Leave of absence 26 

Furlough 26 

Personnel reports 26 

Diaries 26 

Record of distribution of ser\dce 27 

Records of conferences 27 

Development of employees 27 

Instructional assignments -■ 27 

Ranger meetings 27 

Rangers' reading courses ^. 28 

Attendance of forest officers at public meetings 28 

Temporary details to Washington office 28 

Temporary details to the district offices 28 

Amendments to Forester's authorization 28 

Efficiency 28 

Misconduct 28 

Rules for conduct 29 

Political activity t. 29 

Political assessments or contributions 30 

Patents 31 

Disciplinary measures 31 

Transfers 31 

Suspensions 31 

Demotions 31 

Reprimands 32 

Removal 32 

Enforced resignation 32 

Appeals 32 

Procedure 32 

Civil Service eligibles 32 

When names on register may be passed 32 

Rangers appointed for administrative work only 33 

Ranger eligibles for protective work appointed guards 33 

Requests for certification 33 

Procedure for appointments, changes of grade or assignments, and sepa- 
rations 33 

Administrative letters 33 

Officers to be notified in advance of contemplated action \ 33 

Removals and reductions 33 

Time limit to suspension pending disciplinary action 34 

Letters recommending personnel changes 34 

Care in giving names 34 



CONTENTS. , 5 

Control of forest force — Continued. Page. 

Compensation for injuries 34 

Changes in regulations and instructions 34 

Issued from Washington 34 

Issued from district offices 35 

Official correspondence: 

Classification 35 

Washington office 35 

Departmental correspondence 35 

Service correspondence 35 

Branch correspondence 35 

Office correspondence 35 

District office 35 

Departmental and Service correspondence 36 

District correspondence 36 

Supply depot and property audit correspondence 36 

Signing 36 

Prompt action required 36 

Washington office 36 

District offices — details as acting district forester 36 

Supervisors' offices 36 

Clerks seldom acting supervisor 36 

Distribution 37 

Duties of mail clerk 37 

References to other offices and districts 37 

Reference to other departments and bureaus 37 

Letters on law matters 37 

Form of correspondence 37 

Washington and district ofiices 37 

Spacing .• 37 

Neatness 37 

Copying ribbon — Record ribbon 37 

Margin 38 

Legal documents 38 

Numbering pages — Initialing pages 38 

Paper 38 

Date 38 

Address , 38 

Salutaticm 38 

Complimentary close 38 

Language — Brevity 38 

Avoid preambles 38 

Form of acknowledgment — Reference to key initials 38 

Courtesy 38 

Severity 39 

Impersonal tone 39 

Punctuation 39 

Promises 39 

Letters of identical instructions 39 

National Forest offices 39 

Supervisors' offices 39 

Rangers' correspondence 39 

Record of promises 39 

The promise card box 39 

Follow-up system 40 

Requests to field officers 40 

Carbons 40 

Carbons mailed for information 40 

Instructions in carbons 40 

Carbons to secure approval of recommended action 41 

Initialing 41 

Every document must be dated and initialed or signed 41 

Washington and district offices » 41 

Letters affecting more than one branch •. ^ 41 

Stenographer's initials — Initialing for inclosures or promised action. . 41 

Telegrams 41 

Supervisor's office 42 



6 



CONTENTS. 



Office correspondence — Continued. Page. 

Mailing 42 

Washington office 42 

District offices 42 

Supervisors' offices 42 

Envelopes and inclosures 43 

Identification of material mailed separately 43 

Filing 43 

Washington office 43 

District office 43 

Description of files 43 

Circular letters 44 

Cross reference 44 

Rangers' files 44 

Rangers' record 44 

Transferring 44 

Washington, district, and supervisors' offices 44 

Boundaries: 

General 45 

Creation by President authorized by act of Congress 45 

Creation restricted in six States 45 

Temporary withdrawals 46 

National monuments 46 

What may be included 46 

Cooperation in selection 46 

Not to be listed to homesteaders 46 

Boundary changes 46 

Policy — Additions and eliminations 46 

Inter-Forest boundaries 46 

State school land — exchange.- 47 

Town sites 47 

Procedure 47 

Supervisors' procedure 47 

Examinations 47 

Extent of examinations j 47 

Data necessary 47 

Field work and survey 47 

Photographs , 47 

Maps 47 

Land classification map 48 

Title map 48 

The boundary 48 

Report 48 

Outline 48 

Report submitted to supervisor 49 

Inter-Forest changes 49 

Temporary withdrawals 49 

National monuments 49 

District office procedure 49 

Action on reports and maps 49 

Secretary's letter 49 

Press notice 49 

Number of lithographic prints 49 

Ranger stations retained as isolated tracts 49 

Recommendations for withdrawals 49 

Release of withdrawals 50 

National monuments 50 

Washington office procedure 50 

Action on petitions and inquiries 50 

Action on boundary reports 50 

Proclamation and Executive orders, prepared in Washington office, 

referred to Solicitor 51 

Proclamation diagrams, requisition 51 

Photogi'aphic prints 51 

Post cards attached 51 

Announcement of signature 51 

Press notice 51 

Transfer print and lithographic copies 51 



CONTENTS. 7 

Boundaries — Continued . 
Procedure — Continued. 

Washington office prticedure — Continued. Page. 

Maps returned to District Forester 51 

Eliminations open to settlement and entry 51 

Action on temporary withdrawal 51 

Release 52 

Notice of release returned to District Forester 52 

National monuments , 52 

Graphic information : 

Forest surveys and maps 52 

Surveying National Forest boundaries 52 

Marking boundaries 52 

Boundary posters 52 

Replacements and restoration of corners 52 

Special surveys 52 

Corners and marks protected by law 52 

Record of boundary survey 52 

Map making 53 

The Forest atlas 53 

Scale 53 

District atlas 53 

Corrections 53 

New data 54 

General maps 54 

Working-plan maps 54 

Field surveys 55 

Reconnaissance surveys 55 

Special maps 55 

Maps issued by other departments 56 

Township plats 56 

Photographs 56 

Photograph laboratory, Washington 66 

Requisitions for photographic work 56 

Prints for official and personal use 57 

Lantern-slide collection ^ 57 

Sale of prints 57 

Use of prints to be stated in requisition 57 

Schedule of prices • 57 

Substitutes for defective prints sold 58 

Policy 58 

In the field 58 

Cameras 58 

Films 59 

Notebooks 59 

Films developed and prints made in the field 59 

Notice of purchase of films 55 

General 59 

Publications: 

Preparation of official publications - 59 

Selection of subjects 59 

Preparation of manuscripts 60 

Publication credits 60 

Review of manuscripts 61 

Distribution of publications 62 

Field program 62 

Educational activities : 

Information for the press 62 

Material for technical and other periodical publications 63 

Addresses 63 

Protection from fire: 

Need for protection 63 

What governs protection 64 

Methods of fire protection 64 

Measures for protection 64 

The fire plan 64 

Maximimi efficiency with minimum expense 64 

Collection of information 64 



8 CONTENTS. 

Protection from fire — Continued. 

The fire plan — Continued. Page. 

Maps 64 

Special protective surveys 65 

Statistical information 65 

The fire liability. --.---; 65 

Reduction of liability 65 

The fire hazard 65 

Reduction of hazard 65 

Prevention and control 65 

Transportation and communication 65 

Firebreaks 65 

Classes of firebreaks 66 

Character of firebreaks 66 

Maps : : 66 

Construction 66 

Lookout system 66 

Prevention 66 

Cooperation -. 66 

Protective stipulations 67 

Equipment 67 

Transportation and supplies 67 

Foremen 67 

Labor for fighting fires 67 

Location and addresses of forest officers and fire wardens 67 

Slash burning 67 

Fire fighting 67 

Detailed instructions 67 

Organization 68 

Season of low hazard 68 

Season of high hazard 68 

Supervision and direction 68 

Assistants to district ranger 68 

Patrolmen 68 

Instructions as to duties 68 

Control 68 

Action on discovery of fires 68 

Fire fighting 69 

Reports 69 

Protection of water supply: 

Importance of protection 69 

Use of forest resources when not injurious to protective cover 69 

Water protection plan 69 

Map 69 

Report 70 

Procedure 70 

Stipulations in permits and contracts 70 

Cooperative agreements 70 

Form of agi-eement 70 

Instructions to carry out terms of agreements 71 

Protection of the public health 71 

Forest Products: 

Organization 72 

Character of work 72 

Mechanical and physical properties and structures of wood 72 

Wood preservation : ... 72 

Derived products 73 

Statistical studies 73 

Scope of work 73 

Cooperation 74 

Duties of products men in district offices 75 

Duties of supervisors in relation to products work 75 

Improvements: 

Policy 76 

Ti-ansportation 76 

Transportation plans 76 

Map 76 

Roads and trails , 76 



CONTENTS. 9 

Improvements — Continued . 

Transportation — Continued . Page. 

Bridges 77 

Water transportation 77 

Speeders .' . . 77 

Purchase of equipment 77 

Communication 77 

Signals. 77 

Mail service 77 

Telephones • 77 

Telephone plans 78 

Range improvement 78 

Timber sale improvements 78 

Protective improvements 78 

Ranger stations 78 

Cost 78 

Survey of administrative sites 79 

Procedure 79 

Allotments 79 

Improvement contingent 79 

Cost keeping 79 

Annual statistical report (Form 446) 79 

Cooperation 79 

Rights of way 79 

Title to lands for improvement 80 

Signs 80 

Disposal of debris 80 

Contracts 80 

Requests for bids 80 

The purchase of material 80 

Contracted materials 80 

Purchase of barb wire 80 

Standard telephone equipment 81 

Telephone wire > 81 

"U. S. F. S." stock 81 

Insulators and brackets — Instruments 81 

Purchase of improvements 81 

Relinquishment of unperfected erytry , 81 

Property: 

Custody and accountability 81 

Responsibility 81 

Individual accountability 82 

Service accountability 82 

Expendable and nonexpendable property 82 

Supply depot, Ogden, Utah 82 

Requisitions 82 

Shortage or error in shipment 83 

Methods of shipment 83 

Property procured by purchase , • 83 

Forest custodian 84 

Property procured by transfer 84 

Property to individuals 84 

Property accounting on the National Forests 84 

Custodian's record .■ 84 

Ranger's record 85 

Loss of property 85 

Abandonment 1 86 

Condemnation of property having no sale value 86 

Condemnation of property having a sale value 86 

Annual property return 87 

Property auditor's report 87 

Property inspection 87 

Storage 87 

Final settlement 87 



TJ. S. Department of Ageictjlture, 

Office of the Secbetaey, 

Washington, D. C. 
By virtue of the authority rested in me by the act of Congress of February 1, 
1905 (33 Stat, G2S). amendatory of the act of Congress of June 4, 1S97 (30 Stat., 
31), I, James Wilson, Secretary of Agricultare, do malve and publish the fol- 
lowing regulations relating to the general administration of the Forest Service 
and the protection of the National Forests, the same to supersede all previous 
regulations for like purposes and J;o be .in force and effect from the date of this 
order, and to constitute a part of the Use Book. 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Wash- 
ington. D. C. this 12th day of August, 1912. 

[seal.] James Wilson, 

Secretary of Agriculture. 

10 



i 



THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



REGULATIONS. 



Age Limit of Applicants for Ranger. 

Reg. G. A.-l. Only citizens of tlie United Statef? and those who have de- 
clared their intention to become such, and who are between tlie ages of 21 and 
40, are eligible for ranger examinations. Selection for apijointment will be made 
when practicable from qualified citizens of the State in which the National 
Forests, resi)ectively, are situated. These qualifications will not be waived 
under any circumstances. 

Maximum Rates for Meals and Lodging. 

Reg. 0. A.-2. The Forester may make and determine maximum rates within 
tlie amount allowable under the Fiscal Regulations for travel expenses of em- 
ployees of the Forest Service, such rates to be equitable and according to the 
standard of living in the various localities in which they are to become opera- 
tive. Maximum rates may be established in the following classes: For meals 
and lodging of employees on detail to Washington or the district offices; meals 
and lodging at other points visited by Forest officers or employees; meals at 
ranger stations. This authority may be delegated, if necessary, to the District 
Foresters. 

Forage. 

Reg. G. A.— 3. Forest officers or employees regularly assigned to field duty 
may be required to own and equip the saddle and other animals necessary to 
carry on their official duties. Feed for animals so used, owned by Forest offi- 
cers or employees, will be furnished in whole or in part as may be deemed 
equitable by the Forester, either by purchase or by growing such feed on Na- 
tional Forest lands. When a motor-driven vehicle, such as a motor cycle or an 
automobile, is used by a Forest officer in lieu of saddle horses or other animals 
in the performance of his official duties, gasoline, oil, and carbide for motor 
cycles or automobiles so used willbe furnished in whole or in part, as may be 
deemed equitable by the Forester. 

Appeals from Disciplinary Action. 

Reg. G. A.-4:. The officer or employee of the Forest Service affected by any 
disciplinary measure administered may take an appeal to the District Forester 
and from the District Forester to the Forester, and from the Forester to the 
Secretary of Agriculture, but no appeal will be considered by the Secretary unless 
the Forester has affirmed the decision of the District Forester adverse to the 
appellant. In no case will an attorney be recognized in personnel matters. 

Accessibility of Public Records. 

Reg. G. A.— 5. In general, the papers on file in the offices of the Forest Serv- 
ice relating to tlie transaction of National Forest business are public records, 
and as such are open to the public. Information sliould not be refused to per- 
sons wliose interest is legitimate. Reconmiendations on matters pending should 
not be made public. Equal opportunities for information must be given to all 
persons having an interest in any transaction. In conformity with the practice, 
and at the request of the Department of the Interior, all reports on public- 
land claims will be treated as confidential, and may be examined only by duly 
authorized officers and employees of the (Tovernment. Reports on June 11 
applications and personnel reports are confidential, and may be examined only 
by duly authorLzed otficei-s of tlie Government. Under no circumstances will 
inquirers be permitted to take papers from the files outside of the building. 

11 



12 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Cooperation in Enforcing State Fire Laws. 

Reg'. 0. A.-6. All Forest officers will cooperate with State officials, so far*as 
practicable, to enforce State laws for the prevention and extinguishment of 
forest fires. When authorized to do so by the proper State officers, thej' will, 
without additional pay, act as fire wardens with full power to enforce the 
local laws. 
Fire Protection Cooperative Agreements. 

Reg'. G. A.— 7. The Forest Service shall, whenever possible, and is hereby 
authorized to, enter into such agreements with private owners of timber, with 
railroads, and with other industrial concerns operating in or near the National 
Forests as will result in mutual benefit in the prevention and suppression of 
forest fires; provided, that the service required of each party by such agree- 
ments shall be in proiwrtion to the benefits conferred. 

Protection of Water Supplies. Cooperative Agreements. 

Reg. G. A.-8. For the purpose of protecting water supplies of towns, cities, 
and irrigation districts, the use of National Forest lands will be resti-icted by 
the Secretary of Agi-iculture, with such conditions as to reservations from other 
uses of the land and to assistance to be given the Forest Service by the town 
or city in establishing special protective measures as may be deemed necessary 
or advisable. Such use will be granted under formal agreement between the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the properly authorized official of the town, city, 
or irrigation district. 

Sale of Condemned Property. 

Reg. G. A.— 9. The Forester is authorized to sell at field stations of the 
Forest Service, after public notice, by advei-tisement or otherwise, such articles 
of equipment as are worn out or damaged beyond repair, or which are of no 
further use in the Service, but which have a sale value estimated at $5<K) or 
less. The Forester may delegate the authority to district officers. When the 
estimated sale value is more than $500, special authority must be obtained from 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 



PROCEDURE AITD INSTRUCTIONS. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, 

Washington, D. C. 
The following procedure and instructions are hereby established to take 
effect August 12. 1912, governing the enforcement of the regulations of the. 
Secretary of Agriculture, relating to the general administration of the Forest 
Service and the protection of the National Forests. 

H. S. Graves, Forester. 
Approved August 12, 1912. 

James Wilson, Secretary. 



THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 

THEIR PURPOSE. 

National Forests have for their objects to insure a perpetual supply of 
timber, to ]ireserve the forest cover which regulates the flow of streams, and 
to provide for the use of all resources which the Forests contain, in the ways 
which will make them of largest service. Largest service means greatest good 
to the greatest number in the long run. It means conservation through use, 
with full recognition of all existing individual rights and with recognition also 
that beneficial use must be use by individuals; but without the sacrifice of a 
greater total of public benefit to a less. In other words, the Forests are to be 
regarded as public resources, to be held, protected, and developed by the Gov- 
ernment for the benefit of the people. 

The injury which results from the destruction of forests by fire and ill- 
regulated use is a matter of history in older countries, and has long been the 
cause of anxiety in the United States. A cheap and iilentiful supply of timber 
is important if not necessary to the welfare of communities; a forest cover 
is the most effective means of maintaining a regular streamflow for irriga- 
tion and other purposes; and the future of the western live-stock industry 
depends upon tlie permanence of the range. Exhaustion of a local timber 
supply means the cessation of lumbering and the business activities dependent 
on it, and often leaves desolation, impoverishment, and industrial depression ; 
there are vast public and private losses through unnecessary forest fires, while 
a rapidly growing population creates an increasing demand for lumber. With 
forest destruction the flow of streams becomes irregular just when develop- 
ment of the country makes them indispensable to transportation, manufacture, 
or irrigation. Without regulation there is serious decrease in the carrying 
capacity of the range. In short, forest protection is vital to the public welfare. 

HISTORY OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. 

As early as 1799, and again in 1S17, Congress provided for the purchase of 
timber lands to siijjjjly the needs of the Na,vy. Other acts from time to time 
made similar i)rovisious for setting apart forest land for specific ])urposes, but 
the first attem]it to secure coniprehousive administration of the forests on the 
public domain was in ISTl, when a bill was introduced in tlie Forty-second 
Congre.^s, which, liowever, failed of passage, 

13 



14 THE NATIONAL FOKEST MANUAL. 

In 1870, .$2,UUU was aiipruiiriated to employ a coiui)eteiit iiiau to iuvostigate 
timber conditions in the United States, and on June oO, ISSti, an act was 
approved creating a Division of Forestry in the Department of Agriculture. 
On July 1, 1!X)1, this Division became the Bureau of Forestry, which, iu turn, 
under the act of February 1, 1905, became the P^irest Service. 

With the increasing reaJization that the Nation's forest resources must be 
protected, and with the immense growth of irrigation interests iu the AVest, the 
necessity for retaining permanent Federal control over selected forest areas 
was recognized by a brief section inserted hi the act of INIarch 3, ISOI (26 
Stat., 10i)r)), which authorized the President to establish forest reserves, now 
called National Forests. The first exercise of this authority was in the crea- 
tion of the YelloAvstone Park Timber Land Pieserve, proclaimed by President 
Harrison March 30, 1891. 

The mere creation and setting apart of forest reserves, however, without pro- 
vision for their use, was both ineffectual and annoying to local interests de- 
pendent upon their resources. Consequently the Secretary of the Interior, in 
1890. requested tlie National Academy of Sciences to reconunend a national 
forest policy. This resulted iu the passage of the act of June 4, 1897 (30 Stat, 
•11), undei- w-hich, with subsequent enactments, National Forests are now ad- 
ministered. 

On the theory that the management of land, not forests, was chiefly involved, 
this hiw gave the Secivtary of the Interior authority over tlie Forests, and 
provided that they should be surveyed, mapped, and classified by the United 
States Geological Survey,, and administered by the General Land Otlice. But 
the complex technical problems arising from the necessary use of forest and 
range soon demanded the introduction of scientific methods and a trained force, 
which could not be provided under the existing system. The advice and 
services of the Bureau of Forestry were found necessary, but, under tlie law, 
could be but imperfectly utilized. The necessity of consolidating the various 
I>ranches of Government forest work became apparent, and was urged upon 
Congress by the President and by the executive officers conceraed. Finally 
the act of Februai-y 1, 1905, transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture entire 
jurisdiction over the National Forests, except in matters of surveying and 
passage of title to land. 

The regulations and instructions for the use of the National Forests here 
published are iu accordance with the organic acts and with the various sup- 
plementary and amendatory laws passed since June 4, 1897. They are based 
upon the general iiolicy laid down for the Forest Service by the Secretary of 
Agriculture in his letter to the Forester dated February 1, 1905 : 

" In the administration of the forest reserves it must be clearly borne in 
mind that all land is to be devoted to its most jn'oductive use for tlie permanent 
good of the whole people, and not for the temporary benefit of individuals or 
companies. All the resources of forest reserves are for use, and this use must 
be brought about in a thoroughly promi)t and businesslike manner, under such 
lestrictious only as will insure the permanence of these resources. The vital 
importance of forest reserves to the great industries of tlie Western States 
will be largely increased in the near future by the continued steady advance 
iu settlement and development. The permanence of the resources of the re- 
serves is therefore indispensable to continued prosperity, and the policy of 
this department for their protection and use will invariably be guided by 
this fact, always hearing in mind that the conservative use of these resources 
in no way conflicts with their permanent value. 

" You will see to it that the water, wood, and forage of the reserves are con- 
served and wisely used for the benefit of the home builder first of all, upon 
whom depends the best permanent use of lands and resources alike. The con- 
tinued prosperity of the agricultural, lumbering, mining, and live-stock inter- 
ests is directly dependent upon a iiermanent .and accessil)le supply of water, 
wood, and forage, as well as upon the present and future use of these resources 
under businesslike regulations enforced with promptness, effectiveness, and 
common sense. In the management of each reserve local questions will be de- 
cided upon local grounds; the dominant industry will be considered first, but 
with as little restriction to minor industries as may be possible; sudden changes 
in industrial conditions will l)e avoided by gi'adual adjustment affer due notice, 
and where conflicting interests nmst be reconciled the question will always be 
decided from the standpoint of the greatest good of the greatest numl)er in the 
long run." 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 15 

THE FOREST SERVICE. 

ESTABLISHMENT. 

The Secretary of Agricnltnre is empowered by Congress to "make such rules 
and regulations, and to establish such .«ervice as will insure tlie objects of such 
reservations | National Forests], namely, to regulate tlieir occupancy and n.se. 
and to preserve the forests thereon from destruction." Under the provisions of 
this act the Secretary has made and publislied regulations relating to the pro- 
tection and use of the National Forests, and has established the necessary serv- 
ice to carry such regulations into effect. 

All permanent positions in tlie Forest Service are under the civil-service law. 
Vacancies are tilled through certification by tlie Civil Service Commission, and 
information as to the times and places at which examinations will be held may 
be obtained only from the United States Civil Service Commission, Washing- 
ton, D. C. 

RELATION OF FOREST OFFICERS TO THE PUBLIC. 

Forest otiicers are agents of the people. They must answer all inquiries fully 
and cheerfully, and be even more prompt and courteous in the conduct of Forest 
business than in iirlvate business. They must, of course, obey instructions and 
enforce regulations without fear or favor, they must not allow personal or other 
interests to weigh against the permanent good of the Forests; but it is no less 
their duty to encourage legitimate enterprises and to assist the public in making 
use of the resources of the Forests. They must make every effort to prevent 
misunderstanding and violation of Forest regulations, rather than to correct 
mistakes after they have been made. Information should be given tactfully, by 
advice and not by offensive warnings. 

Persons who wish to make any use of the resources of a National Forest for 
which a permit is required should consult tlie nearest Forest officer, or, if more 
convenient, should write to the supervisor of the Forest upon which the use is 
desired. 

THE FIELD ORGANIZATION OF THE FOREST SERVICE. 

The administration of the National Forests and the conduct of all matters 
relating to forestry which have been placed upon the Department of Agriculture 
by Congress is, under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, in charge 
of the Forester, who is the Chief of the Forest Service. The office of the For- 
ester is in Washington, D. C. 

DISTRICTS. 

For the better administration of the National Forests six districts have been 
established, with lieadquarters at the following places: District 1, Missoula, 
Mont.; District 2, Denver, Colo.; District 3, Albuquerque, N. Mex. ; District Jf, 
Ogden, Utah ; District J, San Francisco, Cal. ; and District 6, Portland, Oreg. 
Each National Forest district embraces a number of National Forests, and the 
district officers are responsible for the general supervision and inspection of 
the administrative and technical work on the Forests within their respective 
districts. 

NATIONAL FORESTS. 

The forest areas are divided for the purposes of administration into conven- 
ient units of management, each of which is called a National Forest and is in 
charge of a forest supervisor. When the amount of business on a National 
Forest warrants it the forest supervisor is assisted by a deputy supervisor, who 
has such duties and authority as may be delegated to him by the Supervisor. 
The positions of forest supervisor and deputy forest supervisor are filled by 
promotion or transfer from classified positions in the Forest Service. The 
forest supervisor's headquarters are located at a place in or adjacent to the 
Forest from which the business can be conducted most conveniently and effi- 
ciently. 

FOREST OFFICERS. 

Field Officers. 

The field work involved in directing the use, protection, and improvement of 
a National Forest is, under the supervision of the forest supervisor, performed 
by rangers, forest assistants, lumbermen, scalers, and planting assistants, all 
of whom are in the classified civil service. Appointment to any of these posi- 
tions is made only from the eligible register resulting from competitive exami- 



][g THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL, 

nations held by the United States Civil Service Comuiission, or by promotion. 
Kangers must be selected, when i)racticable, from qualified citizens of the States 
in which the National Forests respectively are situated. 
Skilled and Unskilled Laborers. 

The skilled and unskilled labor of a temporary character required in the use, 
protection, and improvement of the National Forests is performed by forest 
guards, field assistants, and temporary laborers. These positions are not in the 
classified civil service and are filled through selection by the forest supervisor 
or by officers in charge of field parties. 

Clerks. 

Clerical work in the supervisors' offices is performed by forest clerks, assisted 
by additional clerks if the amount of business warrants. The position of forest 
clerk, and of all clerks except those employed temporarily, is in the classified 
service and is filled by transfer or by appointment from the register of eligibles 
obtained from competitive examinations held by the Civil Service Commission. 
When lists of availables can be furnished by the commission temporary clerks 
are selected from such lists. 

DIVISION OF ACCOUNTS. 

Under the direction of the Chief of the Division of Accounts of the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, the receipt and disbursement of -the funds of the Forest 
Service, and the execution of all formal papers affecting the grade, assign- 
ment, or salary of members of the Forest Service, will be in charge of the chief 
of the Forest Service branch of the Division of Accounts and Disbursements. 
The chief of the Forest Service branch of accounts and disbursements is assisted 
by six district fiscal agents, each of whom has direct charge of all the work 
of the division arising in the district to which he is assigned. The district 
fiscal agent may be assisted by special disbursing officers, whose duties and 
authorities will be determined by the Secretary. 

In each district a United States depository is designated which receives all 
revenues of the Forest Service iu that district. 

The chief of the Forest Service branch of the Division of Accounts and 
Disbursements and the district fiscal agents correspond directly with the 
members of the Forest Service in all matters pertaining to the settlement of 
accounts. 

OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR. 

Under the direction of the Solicitor of the Department of Agriculture, the 
district assistants to the solicitor will be the advisors of the District Foresters 
and their assistants on all questions of law arising iu the administration of 
the National Forests. The opinions of the district assistants will be binding 
on the District Foresters, except that iu urgent cases an appeal may be taken 
through the Forester to the Solicitor. 

All requests for formal opinions will be made in the form of written memo- 
randa, accompanied, when possible, with all the papers in the case, and a full 
statement of facts out of which the request for an opinion arises. The dis- 
trict assistants to the solicitor will render their opinions in writing, addressed 
to the District Foresters. In matters of minor importance, where written and 
formal opinions are not necessary, or are impracticable, the District Foresters 
may informally consult with the district assistants. 

All matters which have reached the stage where action in the courts is 
necessary must be referred to the district assistants to the solicitor. Thence- 
forth the cases will be entirely in their hands, and all corres])ondeuce in refer- 
ence thereto will be conducted and prepared by them. If additional evidence 
is neede<l they will request the District Foresters to supply it. 

The district fiscal agents will request and receive advice and opinions from 
the district assistants to the solicitor in the same manner. 

DISTRICT COMMITTEE. 

The district committef^ will consist of the District Forester and such execu- 
tive officers as he may designate. The con)mittee will meet once a week. The 
following order of business will be observed : 

Reading of the minutes. 

Unfinished business. 

Reports of subcommittees. 

Discussion of rejjnrts ot subcommittees. 

Reports of members of the committee. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 17 

The committeo will discuss matters which relate to the administration of 
the National Forests and to work of the Forest Service and will make detinite 
recommendations, but decisions will rest with the District Forester. Copies of 
tlie minutes of the committee meetings will be sent to the Forester, to each 
District P\)rester, and to tlie Director of the ]Madison Laboratory. Copies may 
also be sent to the sui)ervisors of the district in which the meeting is held. 
The discussions are informal and confidential, and a large part of their value 
depends upon keeping them so. The minutes will not be taken as instructions 
and supervisors will therefore be careful not to draw hasty conclusions from 
the record of these discussions, where it may seem that unnecessary criticism 
has passed. 

DUTIES OF SEEVICE AND DISTRICT OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS 
WHEN IN THE FIELD. 

Washington Officers. 

Administrative officers of the Washington office, when in the field, will not 
issue instructions to officers upon the National Forests, except in cases of grave 
emergency. In such cases the District Forester concerned will be informed 
immediately, in writing, by the administrative officer, of the character of such 
instructions, and to whom they were given. 

When on duty in a district, members of the Washington office will act either 
as inspectors, within their respective fields, reporting directly to the Forester, 
or as executive officers under the direction of the District Forester, in accord- 
ance with the instructions from the Forester. 

District Officers. 

The District Foresters and assistant district foresters, and district officers 
designated by them, are authorized, within their respective fields, to give in- 
structions to officers upon the National Forests within their districts. Other 
subordinate officers of the district office when on National Forests will, by 
assignment, act as inspectors within their respective fields, reporting directly 
1o their chief, or as executive officers reporting directly to the supervisor. 

Instructions Issued in the Field. 

When a district officer issues instructions to a supervisor he should prepare 
a written memorandum of them to go into the forest supervisor's file. Orders 
to rangers and other field officers should be given only in emergency cases, 
and when such orders are found necessary they should be communicated, by 
the officer issuing them, to the supervisor as soon as possible. Copies of these 
memoranda should be sent to the District Forester whenever the action initiated 
by them requires further action in the district office or is needed for information. 

When a district officer is in doubt concerning instructions to be given, espe- 
cially when it concerns matters outside of the officer's special line of work, he 
will report the circumstances in detail to the District Forester. 

Reports on controversies or complaints, which are settled on the ground by 
the district officer, will be filed for reference in the district oftice and a copy 
sent to the supervisor. 

Inspectors. 

Members of the Washington and district offices, when on National Forests 
under assignments as inspectors, will give no orders. 

Authority of Supervisors. 

The supervisor has full authority over all Forest officers detailed to the 
Forest of which he is in charge and may make such assignments and delegate 
such authority as he may consider necessary, provided such assignments or 
delegations of authority are not specifically prohibited. 

FIELD EQUIPMENT AND EXPENSES OF FOREST OFFICERS. 

Equipment. 

Foi-est officers or employees assigned to field duty may be required to furnish 
themselves with the necessary means of transportation, with the requisite 
equipment. They may also be required to furnish themselves with necessary 
camp equipment. The supervisor will determine what equipment each officer 
on his Forest must provide. The District Forester will determine what field 
equipment the members of the district office and the supervisors must provide. 

50599°— 12 2 



18 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Subsistence and Lodging. 

Forest officers and employees, unless it is specilically so provided by the 
terms of tlieir employments or included in their appointment orders, will not 
receive subsistence or be reimbursed their expenses for subsistence and lodging, 
or other expenses, while at their i^ermauent station or place of employment. 
They may, however, be reimbursed their expenses for travel, subsistence, and 
lodging, when absent from their official station on official business. 

Extravagance will not be tolerated, since it is expected that an L-mpioyee 
when traveling at Government expense will incur only those expenses which 
would be incurred were he traveling at his own expense. 

Subsistence in Lieu of Salary. 

Subsistence not provided for in travel authorizations may be furnished to For- 
est guards or other temporary employees serving under appointments by tlie 
Secretary of Agriculture when authorized by the terms of such appointments. 
In requesting such appointments the district foresters will recommend a reduc- 
tion in the salary usually paid for the same grade of employee in an amount 
equivalent to the estimated cost of such subsistence. 

Subsistence at Ranger Stations. 

Rangers occupying ranger stations should be paid by visiting officers for 
meals ;uid for the use of beds or bedding. 

Subsistence from Forest Users. 

It is against the policy of the Forest Service for its officers to accept in any 
unreasonable measure hospitality from Forest users. It is realized that many 
Forest users will not accept payment for subsistence and horse feed, but 
Forest officers should in all cases offer payment. They should avoid stojiping 
at places where the owners will not accept payment, unless such avoidance 
will mean great inconvenience. 

Forage. 

When the estimated cost of forage and stabling of horses owned by fieUl 
officers necessary to carry on their field duties exceeds $75 per annum in the case 
of permanent employees, or .^6.25 per month in the case of temporary employees, 
the excess above the $75 per annum or the $6.25 per month will be paid by the 
Fcn-est Service upon the certification of the sui^erAiS'jr (see Reg. G. A. 1). The 
form of such certification will be as follows: 

I hereby certify that this expenditure is to cover cost of forage in excess 

of the estimated amount of $75 per annum for the use of 

an employee of the Forest Service. 



Supervisor. 

In order to make the payment of such expenses uniform and equitable the 
conditions surrounding the incurrence of such expenses for each employee 
shall be reported annually by the supervisor, and he should make careful esti- 
mates of the amount needed for this purpose for the next fiscal year. This 
report should show for each member of the Forest force : The number of horses 
owned and used in official work and initial cost, cost of equipment for horses, 
cost of feed and stabling, value of feed produced at ranger stations and cost of 
production, number of days the horses were used in field work, the number of 
days horses were not used, cost of shoeing horses, total cost of maintenance 
per year per horse. 

From the suballotment for forage approved by the District Forester the super- 
'. isor will make allotments to the Forest officers for expenses as above, and the 
amount allotted to any Forest officer must not be exceeded during the fiscal 
year unless a sufficient reason is given and the allotment is increased by the 
supervisor to cover the necessary excess, provided the amount necessary to cover 
such increase can be secured through a readjustment of the suballotments to the 
Forest. 
Supplies for Motor Vehicles. 

When Forest officers or other employees own motor-driven vehicles, which 
they use in lieu of saddle horses or other animals in the performance of their 
official duties, the e.xpense for gasoline, carbide, and oil will generally be reim- 
bursed them. Repairs on such vehicles will not he paid by the Government. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 19 

Transfer of Household Effects. 

Forest officers transferred from one officinl station to another for ]ierinanent 
duty may. under the written authority of the Forester, be allowed freight and 
drayage charges for the transfer of their household effects and of other per- 
sonal property used by such officers when transferred, not exceeding iu all 3.500 
pounds. Horses will be transported at Government expense only when used 
in official work. Shipments by freight must be on (iovernnient bills of lading 
(see Methods of Shipment, p. S3), and each account must be accompanied by 
letter of instructions, and the certificate of the officer best qualified to make it 
that the property so shipped consists of the household goods of the officer trans- 
ferred and is exclusively his property. .(Act Mar. 4, 1911. Public No. 478, and 
Departmental Order No. 145.) 

The Forest Badge. 

The Forest officer is supplied with a badge, which serves as an evidence of 
his authority as an officer of the Forest Service. Every precaution must be 
taken against the loss of badges or their possession by persons not authorized 
to wear them. Broken or worn-out badges should be returned to the property 
clerk for repair or replacement. 

When Not on Duty. 

Keimbursement will not be made to employees for expenses Incurred while 
on sick or annual leave, while on furlough, or leave of absence without pay. 
Telegi'ams regarding salary or leave of absence are considered private business, 
and the expense of neither the message sent nor the reply will be borne by the 
Government. 

Summary of Comparative Cost of Living' Expenses. 

In order to obtain data for a just and equitable policy of reimbursing Forest 
officers for field expenses and aLso as a guide in making promotions and fixing 
rates of compensation, the comparative living costs of Forest officers should 
be ascertained. This should give the cost of food supplies, wearing apparel, 
board, lodging, and house rent, at headquarters juid also in the field. An annual 
summary of this record should be included In the personnel report. 

QUARTERS. 

Properly located and equipped quarters are essential to the efficient transac- 
tion of business, the safeguarding of Government property, and the convenience 
of the public. Their selection should, however, be made with strict regard to 
economy. 

District OfiB.ces. 

The headquarters of the National Forest districts are located at places which 
ofifer the greatest advantages for the administration of the business of the 
Forest Service. Leases of district offices will be prepared in quadruplicate by 
the district assistant to the solicitor, on information furnished by the District 
F'orester. After the District Forester has secured the execution of three copies 
by the lessor, the district assistant to the solicitor will pass upon the execution 
and if the copies are properly executed he will initial and return them to the 
District Forester, who will initial and send them to the Forester. After they 
have been executed by the Secretary they will be returned to the District 
Forester, who will send one executed copy to the lessor and two executed 
copies with the file copy to the district fiscal agent. 

Supervisors' Offices. 

The office of the Forest Supervisor of each National Forest will be located at 
the jilace which ofters the greatest advantage for the transaction of business 
with Forest users, and the best facilities of transiwrtation and communication 
wW.i the Forest. In the event of the establishment of a new Forest, or in case 
the headquarters of a Forest are not well located, the District Forester will 
investigate the compai-ative advantages as headquarters of all the towns in the 
vicinity of the Forest, and will then submit definite recommendations to the 
Forester. The Foi-est Sui>ervisor is responsible for the selection of suitable 
quarters for his office force and property. Whenever quarters becpnie unsuit- 
;d)1e the supervisor will submit reconunendations 1o the District Forester, after 
investigation, for securing new quarters. Leases for supervisor's oflices may 
be prepared by the supervisor under instructions from the District Forester. 



20 THE NATIONAL FOEEST MANUAL. 

They will be prepared in quintnplieate on the form approved by the solicitor. 
The service to be given by the lessor, iucludiug light, heat, telephone, and 
janitor service, should be described in detail in the lease. After three copies 
have been executed by the lessor, the five copies will be sent to Ihe District 
Forester, who will refer them to the district assistant to the solicitor for 
approval as to form and execution. Such lease may, however, be prepared by 
the district assistant to the solicitor on information by the District Forester, 
whenever this procedure is more convenient. In either case, when the lease 
executed in triplicate by the lessor has been approved and initialed by the 
district assistant to the solicitor, it will be returned to the Dstrict Forester, 
Mho will initial and forward the thi'ee copies executed by the lessor to the For- 
ester for execution. After these three copies have been executed by the For- 
ester they will be returned to the District Forester, who will forward one 
executed copy to the lessor, two executed cojiies and one file copy to the district 
fiscal agent, and the remaining file copy to the supervisor. 

Rangers' Offices, Storage, and Other Quarters. 

When the amount or character of business on a ranger district, timber stUe, 
or other important project requires office or storage facilities, and where the 
Service has no suitable quarters, the supervisor should report the situation, 
in detail, to the District Forester, with definite recommendations for the lease, 
or acquisition through other means, of suitable quarters. The procedure pre- 
scribed for preparing and forwarding leases for rangers' offices and other 
quarters on the Forests will be the same as for supervisor offices. 

Supervisors and other officers should not close any arrangement for quarters 
until the necessary approval of their superior officer is obtained. 

Lease of Land. 

Owing to the fact that the department is not permitted to incur obligations 
for a r>eriod beyond the limit of the appropriation act. which is ne<\rly always 
the fiscal year, land must not be leased for any purpose requiring the con- 
struction of buildings of a permanent character. The matter should be re- 
ported upon very fully to the Forester, and if approved by him, the procedure 
will be the same as for supervisors' offices. 

Construction of Buildings. 

When Government land is available, or in case land has been leased for 
supervisors' or rangers' offices, or for other pin'i)(>ses. the plans and cost of 
the buildings must be reported on fully to the District Forester, in accordance 
with the outline for the construction of buildings in the Improvement section 
of the Manual. 

Ranger Stations. 

Large areas within the National Forests are practically uninhabited, and 
entirely lack living accommodations. To remedy this situation Congress has 
]irovidetl for the construction of houses for Forest officers stationed on the 
Forests. It is clearly the intention of Congress that such dwellings shall be 
constructed only where they serve the actual needs of the Service, and not 
merely those of the ranger or other officer by whom they will be occupied. The 
construction or lease of dwellings solely for the personal needs of a Forest 
officer can be construed only as granting additional com])ensation, which can 
not be done unless specifically provided by law. Only where there is an un- 
deniable need for them and when it is im])ractical)Ie for the officer to rent or 
construct his own living quarters will houses be leased, rented, or constructed 
at Government expense. When the supervisor desires to construct or rent 
such quarters at Government expense he will report to the District Forester, 
in detail, the need for them and show that it is impracticable to iirovide them 
in any other way. and that they are not constructed or rented for the purpose 
of granting additional compensation to the officer who will occupy the quarters. 
The actual construction of such quarters will be handled in the manner out- 
liuetl in the Improvement section of the Manual. 

Quarters in Government Buildings. 

When the quarters are desired in an existing Federal building the District 
Forester will prepare a letter for the signature of the Secretary of Agriculture, 
addressed to the Secretary of the Treasury, stating the number of rooms and 
amount of floor space required, the purposes for which the space is needed, and 
the amount paid as rental .-md other expenses, including light, heat, and janitor 
services, for other quarters occupied at the time. When the erection of a new 



GENEEAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 21 

Federal building: is proi)osed nt any place where rented quarters are occupied 
by the Forest Service the District Forester will inform the Forester upon re- 
quest of the amount of space needed in the new building and the amount of 
rental (including light, heat, and janitor service), if any, being paid for quar- 
ters. If it is contemplated to remove the offices to a town or city in which the 
new Federal building is to be built, the amount of rental paid at the present 
location should be given. The necessary memorandum to the Secretary of 
Agriculture will be prejiared in the Washington otfice. If no space is neetled 
in a new Federal building, this fact will be reported to the Forester. 

Signs. 

All quarters used by the Forest Service for the transaction of business with 
the public, including ranger stations, must be equipped with suitable signs. A 
Sign that is approved for supervisors' offices is: 

FOREST SERVICE 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

OFFICE OF 

OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST. 

For a ranger station : 

HUMPTULIPS RANGER STATION. 

It is often advisable, also, to give the name of the ranger in some appropriate 
manner. 

Property Notices. 

All buildings owned by the Forest Service should have a property notice 
posted in a conspicuous place. 

Use of Flag. 

District, supervisors', and rangers' offices and headquarters should be pro- 
vided with facilities for flying the United States flag, different sizes of which 
can be obtaine^l on requisition. Even at temiwrary camps a flag calls to the 
attention of passers-by the presence of Forest officers; its use in such cases is 
recommended. 

Maintenance of Quarters. 

The Forest officer in immediate charge of buildings used by the Service will 
be held responsible for the order and repair in which the buildings and grounds 
are kept. When repairs or other work on quarters are needed, which can not 
bo performed by the regular force, the necessary report and estimates should be 
submitted, in accordance with the instructions for permanent improvements. 
When necessary, expenses for janitor service for the care of National Forest 
offices may be incurred. 

Equipment, 

Standard furniture and equipment for quarters must be obtained on requisi- 
tion from the property clerk. Furniture and equipment for supervisors' or 
rangers' quarters not furnished by the property clerk and costing more than 
$10 (except stoves, drafting tables, and blue-print apparatus) can not bo pur- 
chased without the approval of the District Forester. Principles of economy 
should govern all Forest officers in expenditures for such equipment. 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN. 

THE FOREST FORCE. 

Responsibility for supervising the use of the National Forests and for pro- 
tecting and improving them rests primarily upon the supervisors. The per- 
sonnel on a National Forest will be determined by the District Forester from 
aimual estimates submitted by the supervisor. 

District Rangers. 

The routine work involved in the supervision of grazing, timber sale, free 

use, special use, and other contracts and permits, the direction of the protection 
and improvement plans, and the examination of and report on applications 
for any use of the Forest, including settlement and other claims, will be per- 
formed by rangers, who will be in entire charge of the work of such character 
within their ranger districts. The number of ranger districts into which a 



22 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

XaHoua] Forest slmuld l)e divided will be determined by the sui»erAisor. witli 
the approval of the District Forester. The aim should be to so divide the 
Forest that, in each district all of the regular work can be handled efficiently 
by one well-qualitied ranger if granted the necessary temporary assistance. 
There is, of course, a practical limit to the area which can be handled by one 
officer, even with the most liberal assistance. So far experience has proven 
that ordinarily an area of approximately 200,000 acres represents this limit, 
though in exceptional cases the area may be greater. The area will, however, 
depend on the value of the Forest property, the extent of its use, and the avail- 
ability of temporary assistance when most needed. Where such assistance 
can not be obtained, or where there is constant heavy work, it may become 
advisable to establish smaller districts. Where means of travel and com- 
munication are good, however, or where there is only a small volume of busi- 
ness, or where the fire hazard is low, districts larger than 200,000 acres may 
be established. The district rangers should have their headquarters at the 
nearest business center, or, if that is impracticable, permanent headquarters 
should be provided on the Forest 

Assistance for District Rangers. 

When the woi'k is too heavy or too complex to be handled by the district 
ranger alone, and yet does not make it advisable to divide the district, forest 
assistants, assistant rangers, guards, or other officers should be assigned to the 
district for sucfi^"P^'iod as may be necessary. 

Project Assistants. 

Ordinarily project assistants will be under the direction of the district 
ranger, but in special cases, as in large timber sales, they may be given ex- 
clusive authority by the supervisor over a specific project, in which case they 
will have the standing of district rangers. Such assistants should, so far as 
possible, be kept on distinct lines of work. 

Temporary employees who show special aptitude for specific lines of work 
should he kept on duty for the maximum period when this is practicable, 
because proi^erly qualified assistants can secure the necessary training and 
experience only in the Service. 

Data for Working Plans to be Obtained by Specially Qualified Assistants. 

The work involved in making Forest surveys necessary to the preparation 
of definite plans of management for timber, grazing, settlement, special uses, 
administration, and protection will be performed by officers siiecially qualified, 
such as forest assistants, grazing examiners, lumbermen, members of the 
district office, or by the supervisor or deputy supervisor. 

Preparation for Making Working Plans. 

Plans, with estimates of cost for such surveys, will be made by the super- 
visor in accordance with the instructions given in the forest plans section 
of the Manual. The District P"'orester will determine those to be undertaken 
and have general direction over the details of execution and the i^ersonnel 
of the parties conducting the field and office work. Such parties will, how- 
ever, while in the field be under the direction of the supervisor. 

Allotment for Working Plan. 

The allotment of money for the preparation of working plans will be made 
by the District Forester in accordance with the plan approved by the Forester. 
When a project has been determined u]ion the District Forester will allot to 
the supervisor the necessai-y money for its completion. Separate records should 
be kept of the cost of each project. 

Nontechnical Assistance. 

Work of a nontechnical character which can not be performed by the regular 
force will be jierformed by assistant forest rangers, forest guards, field assist- 
ants, and temporary laborers. Such assistants should be employed only for a 
particular purpose, and their salaries and expenses should be paid from a spe- 
cial allotment for that purpose. They are directly responsible to the officer 
directing their work. The instructions for each piece of work will include 
estimates for the expense of such assistance. 

Clerical Assistants. 

The forest clerk ordinarily will perform all the routine clerical duties of 
the supervisor's office. His salary will be charged to the genei'al administra- 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 23 

tioii of the Forest. Other periiiniu'iil or teuii)orar.v clerks yu-.xy be employed 
when the business of the office wurnints. hut unless the major i)()r1ion of their 
time is actually occupied iu routine duties their salaries will be charged to the 
particular line of work upon which they are eugaged. The same policy will 
apply to draftsmen. 

ANNTTAIi ALLOTMENT ESTIMATE. 

On April 1 of each year a report will be submitted by the supervisor to the 
District Forester containing (A) a statement of the business of the Forest, 
(B) an outline of its organization, and (C) an estimate of the allotments 
required during the ensuing fiscal year. 

The Business of the Forest. 

(A) The business of the Forest should be discussed under four headings: 
AdininiHirativc work, Protcctiie work. Constructive work, and Receipts; and 
expenditures. 

Under administrative work should be estimated for the following year, by 
ranger districts : 

(1) The amount of timber to be estimated, sold, and cut, and the number 
of sales. 

(2) The amount of timber to be cut under free use and the number of permits. 
(8) The amount of stock to be grazed, by classes, and the number of permits. 

(4) The number of settlement, special use or easement, and claims cases to 
be examined. 

(5) Any other kinds of administrative work to be performed (i. e., work 
related to the immediate use of the Forest). 

Under protective ivork should be giveii, by districts and classes, the value 
of the destructible resources of the Forest, the fire liability, and the fire hazard 
or risk. 

The value of destructible resources consists of — 

(1) Appraised value of merchantable timber. 

(2) Expectation value of young growth, excluding areas where the method 
of cutting will not utilize young growth now established. 

(3) Commercial value of forage. 

(4) Value of land for watershed protection, including all timbered and brush 
areas. This valuation will necessarily be arbitrary and should be standardized 
in each district at fixed rates per acre for various types and localities. Such 
rates will be based upon the relative influence of various types of cover upon 
streamflow as far as determinable, but lu'imarily upon the extent to which 
the streams are used for industrial purposes and the'consequent need for pro- 
tective cover. 

The fire liability is the part of the foregoing values which are liable to be 
destroyed by fire. 

The fire hazard to which each portion of the Forest is subject should he stated 
as concretely as possible, considering (1) sources of danger, (2) kind of fires 
liable to occur, and (3) ease or difficulty of control as determined by accessi- 
bility, protective equipment, available labor, etc. 

The total value of the destructible resources indicates in concrete form the 
Forest property to be protected. On the fire liability and fire hazard, however, 
depend the intensity of the protective work, or insui*ance, required. Both to- 
gether should be used by the supervisor and District Forester to check expendi- 
tures for protection on the Forest as a whole and on its component parts. The 
usefulness of this check is primarily as to the relative needs of different Forests 
and districts. Each District Forester should, therefore, standardize the bases 
for determining total values, liability, and hazards that they may be uniform 
for similar conditions on all Forests. (See section on Protection from fire.) 
Where the valuation of resources, fire liability, and fire hazard have been 
accurately determined in a forest ytlan, these items need not be further reportetl 
under Forest business unless revised data affecting the expenditures for protec- 
tion are secured. 

Under constructive work should be reported the work which should be done 
during the following fiscal year in — 

(1) Construction and maintenance of improvements, listing projects sepa- 
rately, and showing their relation to the im])rovement plan of the Forest. 

(2) Preparation of a forest plan, inchuling timber reconnaissance not re- 
quired for pending sale applications, grazing reconnaissance, and classification 
of agricultural lands. 



24 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

(3) Reforestation, includiug seed collection, field seeding or planting, and 
maintenance of existing nurseries. 

(4) Any other lines necessary as part of tlie permanent development of the 
Forest. 

Under receipts and expenditures should be estimated the total revenues and 
expenditures for the current fiscal year, classified in accordance with the 
Manual of Accounting. The classification of expenditures should i^how, as far 
as practicable, the cost of administrative, protective, and constructive work 
separately, and of each of the major lines of administrative and constructive 
work. 
Outline of the Forest Org'anization. 

(B) The organization of the Forest will be shown by — 

(1) A map on a half-inch scale showing ranger districts and headquarters; 
the location of the larger timber sales; free use areas; important special uses; 
and other administrative projects ; the more essential features of the protective 
organization ; and the location of major permanent improvements and areas 
where reconnaissance or land classification is proposed. 

(2) A statement of the number and areas of ranger districts, with the cost, 
salary, and expenses of the permanent force in each ; the number and cost of 
temporary assistants required on each class of administrative work, on pro- 
tective work, and on constructive work respectively : the executive force at the 
Forest headquarters and its annual cost; and the clerical force, permanent and 
temporary, required, together with its cost. 

Estimate of Allotment. 

(C) The estimate of allotments for the ensuing fiscal year, based \ipon the 
statements of Forest business and organization, should forecast the cost of 
each line of work during the next year by classes of expenditures as i)resci'il)ed 
in the ^Manual of Accounting. The cost of administrative, protective, and con- 
structive work should be indicated separately as far as the organization of the 
force makes this possible. 

ANNTJAL APPROPBIATION ESTIMATES. 

Estimates for appropriations for the fiscal year following the next ensuing 
fiscal year will be submitted on April 1 by the supervisor to the District 
Forester. These estimates will be submitted by lines of work and classes of 
expenditures in accordance with the Manual of Accounting. They will be based 
upon the allotment estimates for the ensuing year, with such changes as a fore- 
cast of the business and most etticient organization of the Forest malie advis- 
able. To secure uniformity, the District Foresters will issue detailed instruc- 
tions on the iireparation of these estimates. 

On May 1 the District Forester will submit complete estimates for the district 
to the Forester. 

CONTBOL OF THE FOREST FORCE. 

POLICY. 

Qualifications of Forest Officers. 

To maintain the high standards rightfully demanded of its servants by the 
public, every member of the Forest Service, besides having knowledge and ex- 
perience, must be honest, courteous, and industrious. 

Relations Between Officers. 

The desired standard of efficiency and service can not be obtained by any 
hard and fast rules such as control military organizations. Such rules would, 
in fact, prove a handicap. A control based on justice and upon an understand- 
ing of the character and experience of the men and upon dependence on their 
good sense and loyalty has been the governing policy of the P^'orest Service 
from the beginning. 

While Forest officers must exercise, when necessary, the authority which 

their positions carry, they should always be mindful of their responsibility 

. rather than of their right to gi^e commands. Instructions and not orders should 

'be issued by superior to subordinate officers. A dictatorial manner or a lack 

of courtesy is a demonstration of failure to meet the standards of tlie Service. 

A Forest officer should exercise the most unfailing loyalty, patience, tact, and 
cf)mradeshii», and the most persistent and conscientious effort to cooperate with 
and to assist his fellow officers. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 25 

Selection. 

In selecting men from the civil service registers, pains should be taken to 
k)ok into their character and reputation, so tliat unfit men may be prevented 
from entering the Service. If a person on the eligible list is found to be unfit 
Lis name should be passed, and the facts reported promptly to the District 
Foi'ester. 

The ex])erience and training necessary to pass tlie civil service examination 
for assistant forest ranger can be obtained in but few occuiiations outside of 
the Service, and usually eligibles on the register are i>ersons who have been 
employed in some capacity on the Forests. In selecting forest guards and 
other temporary employees the supervisor should, therefore, consider their 
natural aptitude and encourage promising appointees to perfect themselves in 
all branches of Forest work. 

Assig'nment. 

When making personnel assignments the supervisor should carefully con- 
sider the fitness of the man for the particular project. This jn-ecaution not only 
obtains better results but is more just to the man. No one should be assigned 
to work which he can not perform satisfactoi-ily. Fully (pialified men can be 
obtained, however, only rarely, and, in order to insure the gi-eatest possiI)le 
degree of succes.s, the officer in charge should see that inexperienced men are 
furnished with the most explicit instructions. These instructions should cover 
not only the methods of doing the work, but should include suggestions as to 
proper equipment and any other information which may prove of value. 

Authority to Assign or Transfer. 

The su]5ervisor has authority to assign or transfer men on the Forest of which 
he is in charge, but transfers to other Forests, after being arranged for tenta- 
tively, must be approved by the District Forester, and must be reported to the 
Forester when the transfer is made. The district foresters may arrange for 
the transfer of rangers and clerks between districts, but if sucli transfers in- 
volve changes in district allotments the District Forester will at once recom- 
mend the necessary increase or decrease, in the district allotment. The assign- 
ment or transfer of executive officers such as assistant district foresters or 
supervisors, may be arranged for tentatively by the district foresters, but must 
be approved by the Forester. 

Supervision. 

To judge a man's efficiency, it is necessary that the officer in charge shall 
have an intimate knowledge of his character, mentality, and ambitions. This 
can be obtained only by actual contact, and advantage should be taken of every 
opportunity to get into personal touch with the man and to watch his work iia 
the field. Some men develop rapidly, others slowly, and this fact should be 
taken into consideration when determining an employee's present and possible 
future value to the Service. 

Officers should not hesitate to extend praise for good work; in fact, it can 
almost always be gi^en without danger. At the same time, errors, negligence, 
or lack of industry should be pointed out immediately they are discovered. 

Probational Appointments. 

The civil service rules provide for a period of probation, during which time 
appointees from the register may be separated for unsatisfactoi'y services with- 
out the formalities required to terminate absolute appointments. 

The probational period is six mouths, except for forest assistants and assist- 
ant forest rangers. For these two positions the period is one year. During 
the probational period the officer under whom the appointee is working will 
determine his ability to perform the duties of his position. The conclusion 
should not be hastily reached that the probationer is inefficient or incapable; 
but when the oflicer in charge is fully satisfied that the appointee is inefficient 
or incapable and that the public service wjjl not be benefited by his retention. 
the facts should be reported to the District Forester in ample time to permit 
the initiation of the action required under the civil service rules. Retention 
after the expiration of the probational period constitutes an absolute appoint- 
ment. 

Salaries and Promotions. 

The rates of conipenwUion of Forest officers on the miscpljaneous roll are 
fixed by the Secretary. Statutory ixisitions are established by act of Con- 



26 THE NATIONAL FOKEST MANUAL. 

fe'ress. Promotions will be based strictly on merit, length of service, aud tLe 
j)Ossession of qualitications required for each iwsition. The district foresters 
will issue instructions annually to the supervisors, outlining the policy which 
must be followetl in fixing the compensation of forest guards and other tem- 
porary employees. Such instructions will be based on reports from the super- 
visors giving local rates of compensation from private employers, and the rela- 
tive cost of living. They should recommend the rates of compensation which 
the Service should offer to obtain the right kind of men. 

Outside Employment. 

All employees are expected to give their entire time to the Service. In 
exceiJtional cases ])ermission to engage in outside employment may be ob- 
tained from the Secretary of Agriculture. When such permission is desire<l, 
the member concerned should address his request to the Secretary of Agri- 
culture, in accordance with section 6 of the Fiscal Regulations, giving a state- 
ment of the kind of work contemplated, and that it will not hamper or uiter- 
fere with his work for the department. If his immediate superior approves 
the request, he will initial and forward It to the Secretary through the proper 
channels. 

Leave of Absence. 

Meml)ers of the Forest Sei-vice on duty outside of Washington may be 
granted leave of absence with i)ay for a period of not to exceed 15 days 
annually, or at the rate of 1? days per month. In case of sickness there will 
be granted an additional leave of absence with pay of 15 days per year, or at 
the rate of li days per month. 

It should be understood by all Forest officers that the granting of aimual 
leave of absence is entirely within the discretion of their superior officers, and 
that in case of urgent work, or for other good reasons, it may be impracticable 
to grant them the whole or a part of the annual leave. 

Leave of absence without pay for a period not to exceed 30 days may be 
granted hj the super\-isor to Forest officers, at their own retpiest, in order to 
attend to private business or for other good reasons. Applications for leave 
of absence without pay for periods longer than 30 days will be referred with 
appropriate recommendations to the District Forester. The Fiscal Regulations 
contain full instructions relative to the methods of calculating leave of absence. 

Furlough. 

Forest officers are furloughed without pay at the instance of their superior 
ollicer. when, on account of lack of funds or cessation of work, it becomes 
inadvisable to keej) them on the pay roll. Officers on furlough have the same 
rights under the civil service rules and regulations as have officers on active 
duty, and when funds again become available or work is resumed, they must be 
gi\en preference. In case they do not desire to be restored to jictive <luty, they 
should either resign or apply for leave without ])a3'. 

Personnel Reports. 

The supervisor will submit on May 1 an efficiency reix)rt on each member of 
his force in du])licate on the regular departmental form, and this report will 
include his annual promotion recommendations. No other personnel report will 
be made by the sui)ervisor, except in cases which require special attention 
or action, or when called upon b^ the District Forester. 

Diaries. 

Members of the district office, supervisors, and deputy supervisors will keep 
a diary when traveling in the field. Forest clerks will keeji a diary of the 
daily proceedings in the office of the supervisor. Visits from permittees and 
others and the nature of the business transacted should be noted. All officers 
on the Foi-psts will record every day's service in a diary to be kept in the regular 
field noteI)ook, which will be submitted to the supervisor on request. When it 
is considered desirable by either the District Forester or the supervisor, the 
Forest force may be required to accompany the monthly service report (Form 
26) with a brief summary of the dairy for the month. 

Supervisors will bear in mind that in no case will the examination of rangers' 
diaries replace field supervision. The diary is a record and not a measure of 
efficiency, and no criticism of Forest officers' actions will be based upon it unless 
substantiated by investigation. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 27 

Rangers' diaries should coutain a concise statement of tlie work done during 
the day, including patrol, fire, scaling, cruising, surveying, investigations, re- 
ports, range examinations, improvements, etc. The particular project should 
be named in each case, as well as the exact nature of the work. The names 
of people with whom the Forest business was transacted or discussed should 
be given and the nature of the business stated. Topics such as general timber 
estimates, future work to be done, condition of range or watershed, possible 
routes for trails or telephone lines, sites for stations, bridges, phuitations, 
free-use areas, watering places for stock, topography, and location of corners 
should be entered. 

Diaries of supervisors and deputy supervisors will be examined and initialed 
by the proper administrative officers who visit the Forest. The diaries of other 
members of the Forest force will be examined periodically and initialed by the 
supervisor or deputy supervisor and also by members of the district office, libove 
the rank of chief of section, visiting the Forest. All diaries of Forest officers 
will constitute a part of the permanent recoi-ds of the Forest, and when a 
Forest otficer leaves the Service his diary will be turned in to the supervisor. 
Rangers' and guards' diaries will be filed in the headquarters of the district in 
which they have served. 

Becord of Distribution of Service. 

The certificates of service (Form 26) will he made monthly to the super- 
visor by all officers on his P^'orest. Those assigned to a Forest from the district 
office will submit a duplicate Form 2(i for (he information of the District 
Forester. Supervisors will make such arrangements as are necessary to insure 
the receipt at their offices of the Forms 2(i not later than the r>tli day of each 
month. 

Records of Conferences. 

In addition to the diary record of business transacted or discussed a record 
in memorandum form will be made of every important conference relating to 
Forest work. The memorandum will show when and whei-e the conference was 
held, who was present, what matters were discussed, what statements were 
made, and what conclusions were reached. It will bear the proper filing 
designation and will be signed by the officer making the memorandum and be 
filed with the other -papers in the case. 

Development of Employees. 

The members of the regular force on the Forests are not specialists, but must 
be proficient in ;ill lines of work. Experience is required to develop this pro- 
ficiency, hence supervisors should give their officers opportunity to obtain wide 
training and experience, and should make assigumenls with this end in view. 

Instructional Assignments. 

During the winter, when many rangers are not fully occupied with routine 
business, the supervisor should assign to them duties of such character as im- 
prove the quality of their work. The ability to draw good maps is of great 
importance; at the same time it is an ability which many officers do not possess. 
Suitable instructions should be issued on this sub.iect, and compliance with them 
made a part of the officer's duties. Likewise, a course of instruction in (he 
use of the typewriter will prove of value. Many other sub.iects, such as sur- 
veying and estimating, could well be co\ered by such instructions, and if carried 
out would result in greatly increased efficiency. 

Ranger Meetings. 

To give Forest officers the benefit of one another's experience, to keep them 
in touch with the entire work of the Forest, and to promote esprit de corps, an 
annual meeting should be held of the entire force on each Forest. When a 
supervisor desires to hold such a meeting he will submit to the District Forester 
for approval or revision a detailed statement which will include the place of 
meeting, the program, the date and period, and the cost in traveling expenses, 
together with some statement as to whether the meeting will interfere with the 
work on the Forest. 

When feasible, .ioint meetings of the force on ad.ioining Forests should be 
arranged, and the District Forester should, if possible, assign members of his 
office to attend every ranger meeting. 



28 THE NATIONAL FOEEST MANUAL. 

Rangers' Beading Courses. 

The District Foresters should iirepnre outlines of courses of reading: for the 
rangers, which wil' cover the various subjects and contain references to the 
avaihible books. This will Insure an intelligent and systematic use of the books 
in the Forest libraries. These outlines may be supplementetl by lists of ques- 
tions to be answered by the ranger students, after the reading course is com- 
pleted. The details of the plan and its execution will be left, however, to the 
District Foi-esters. 
Attendance of Forest Officers at Public Meetings. 

A forest supervisor or his representative mny, when necessary, attend meet- 
ings which directly affect the administration of the National Forest of which 
he is in charge. One member of the district office may also be authorized by 
the District Forester to attend such meetings. When a supervisor is invited to 
attend meetings of this kind he will inform the District Forester and make 
recommendations as to the advisability of the attendance of a member from the 
district office. In case it is desirable for a Forest officer to attend meetings 
otlier than those here specified, tlie circumstances should be reported to the 
Forester through the ])roper channels. (See p. 63.) 

Temporary Details to Washington Office. 

To keep close touch between officers In Washington and in the districts, the 
Forester will call District Foresters and assistant district foresters into Wash- 
ington for details of approximately one month. These details may be to aid 
in the general administration of the Service, for conference on imiiortant points 
of policy, or for si)ecial work. 

To jjievent serious interference with tlie plans in the districts, the District 
Foresters will be called upon for suggestions and recommendations before any 
detail is made from a district office to AYashington. 

Temporary Details to the District Offices. 

The District Forester will detail supervisors, deputy supervisors, forest assist- 
ants, and, iu cases of siiecial efficiency, forest rangers, to assist as needed in the 
district offices of Oi)eration, Lands, Silviculture, Grazing, and Products. The 
total number of such details to any district office for any one year will be deter- 
mined by the District Forester Only in cases of emergency will the period of 
such detail exceed, for any one man, six weeks in a single year. 

Amendments to Forester's Authorization. 

Whenever a meml)er of the field force is detailed to a district office, or to the 
Washington office, for a jieriod longer than six weeks, an amendment to the 
Forester's letter of autliorizatiou will be requested of the Secretary, in tlie fol- 
lowing form : 

The Secretary of Agriculture: 

Sir : T have the honor to request that Letter of Authorization No. 537 

to the Forester, dated July 1, IJlOO, be amended to permit , whose 

official station is , to be reimbursed for his actual expenses incurred 

for subsistence while detailed to the office of the Forest Service at . 

for the period not to exceed days, the expenses for subsistence not 

to exceed an average of $ per day. 

Yery respectfully, , 

Forester. 

The maximum allowance for subsistence (meals and lodging only) during a 
temporary detail of more than 1.5 <lays should not exceed an average of .$3 per 
day for the whole period. 

Efficiency. 

To familiarize the rangers with the general routinue of Forest business and 
with matters outside of their districts, each suijervisor will arrange for tempo- 
rary office details from his ranger force. Such details must not interfere with 
field work or occasion an increase in the fox'ce, and should not exceed one month 
in duration. An important result of the detail will lie the training and develop- 
ment of the ranger. As a I'ule, office work outside the duties of the supervisor 
and his deputy can be done better and more cheaply by clerical help. 

Misconduct. 

Conduct detrimental to the work of the Forest Service, or subversive of dis- 
cipline, such as disobedience of orders, negligence, insubordination, dishonesty, 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 29 

inefficiency, drunkenness, disreputability. or a prejudicial personal interest in 
the exploitation of the resources of the Forest, renders the offending officer snlt- 
ject to disciplinary measux'es. Members in doubt as to the application of the 
rules to their private actions should seek the advice of their official superiors. 

Bules for Conduct. 
The following specific rules for conduct have been adopted : 

(1) No member of the Forest Service shall, under any circumstances, tile or 
initiate a claim, directly or indirectly, under any of the public-land laws, to 
land within the limits of a National Forest. A member who has secured a 
claim under any of the public-land laws to such land, before its inclusion within 
a National Forest or before his appointment as a Forest officer, will be allowed 
to perftHJt his title, but he may be comi)elled to choose between his claim and 
his position should his duties make it Lmi)ossible for him to comply with the 
residence or improvement requii'ements. 

(2) A member of the Forest Service may acquire land not Included within 
a National Forest, under any of the Federal or State land laws, or have an 
interest in any association, partnership, or comjiany formed with a view to ac- 
quiring such land, unless such action might prejudice his standing as a Forest 
officer, influence his official action, or tend to bring criticism upon the Forest 
Service. 

(3) A member of the Forest Service may purchase ]n-ivate land within or 
near a National Forest, unless such action might prejudice his standing as a 
Forest officer, influence his official action, or tend to bring criticism upon the 
Forest Service. 

(4) No member of the Forest Service shall, as principal, partner, or agent. 
speculate or be commercially interested in timber or other forest products, or 
in live stock, or in any ownership or lease of any timberland, or in any lumber- 
ing contract or operation, whether on the National Forests or elsewhere, when 
such action will prejudice his standing, influence his official action, or tend to 
bring criticism upon the Forest Service. 

(5) No member of the Forest Service shall, as principal partner or agent, be 
interested in any euteri)rise which profits by the use of any National Forest 
on which he is employed or by any investigation or other work in which he may 
be engaged, except as otherwise provided herein. 

(6) No member of the Forest Service shall, directly or indirectly, engage in 
or profit by private business transactions with or receive gifts from a National 
Forest user or others with whom he has official relations which might influence 
his official action or tend to expose the Forest Service to criticism. 

(7) It is improper for any member of the Forest Service to grant any privi- 
lege or permit by which he or any member of his family will profit, directly or 
indirectly. Such permits may be issued only by his official superior. 

(8) Whenever in granting a permit or in making any decision or recom- 
ujendation the good faith of a member of the Forest Service might be ques- 
tioned, on the ground that the action was influenced by personal friendship, 
family relationship, or business interests, the Forest officer may refer the case 
to his official superior when in his judgment this course is advisable in order 
to protect himself and the Service. 

(0) No member of the Forest Service shall give or use information acquired 
by means of his official position to advance the interests of himself, his family, 
his business associates, or his ])ers<jnal friends over those of other persons. 

(10) No member of the Forest Service shall engage in any si>eculation, mer- 
cantile transaction, or other activity of a character to engi-oss his attention or 
to divert it from his public duty. 

(11) A Forest officer is a representative of tlje National Government, and as 
such his acts as a private individual are particularly open to criticism and 
may reflect on the Service. Consequently he must set and hold to a high stand- 
ard of i)ersonal conduct and integrity that will safeguard the Ser^ice against 
criticism and embarrassment. 

(12) The orders prohibiting political activity, which follow, will be strictly 
enforced. 

Political Activity. — Rule 1, section 1, of the civil-service rules reads 
as follows : 

No person in the executive civil service shall use his official authority 
or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or affecting 
the result thereof. Persons who by the provisions of these rules are in 
the competitive classified service, while retaining the right to vote as 



30 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

they please and to express privately tlielr opinions on nil political sub- 
jects, shall take no active iiart in political management or in political 
campaigns. 

The first sentence of the rule applies to every person in the executi\e 
civil service, irrrespeclive of the method of his ai>pointment. The second 
sentence of the rule applies to all persons holding positions in the com- 
petitive classified service, whether the appointment be permanent or 
temporary in character, and by departmental action has also generally 
been made applicable to unclassified laborers. 

The following forms of activity have been held to be forbidden by this 
provision : 

Service on political committees: service as delegate^ to State, county, 
or district conventions of a political party, although it was understood 
that the employees were not " to take or use any political activity in 
going to these conventions or otherwise violate the civil-service rules " ; 
service as officer of a political club, as chairman of a ]X>litical meeting, 
or as secretary of an antisaloon league; continued political activity and 
leadership ; activity at the polls on election day ; the jMiblication or edit- 
ing of a newspaper in the interests of a political party: the publication 
of political articles bearing on qualifications of different candidates; 
the distribution of political literature; holding office in a club which 
takes an active part in political campaigns or management; making 
speeches before political meetings or clubs ; activity in local-option cam- 
paigns; circulation of petitions having a political object, of petitions 
proposing amendments to municipal charter, of petitions favoring can- 
didates for municii)al offices, and of local-option peiitions; candidacy 
for or holding of elective office; accepting nomination for political office 
with the intention of resigning from the competitive service if elected; 
recommendation by clerks and carriers of a person to be i>ostmaster; 
service as a commissioner of election in a community where it was 
notorious that a commissioner of election must be an active politician; 
service as inspector of election, ballot clerk, ballot inspector, judge of 
election, or member of election board : or generally any form of activity 
in political management or political campaigns, though not specifically 
mentioned above. 

Inasmuch as the Issuance of a certificate for reinstatement is dis- 
cretionary with the Civil Service Commission, no certificate will be 
issued in any case where the party applying for reinstatement has 
previously resigned with a view of running for office, or with a view 
of indulging in a degree of political activity which would be prohibited 
if he had remained in the service, and who afterwards, having failed in 
his candidacy or having indulged in the contemplated activity, seeks 
reinstatement. 

Political Assessments or Contributions. — The civil-service act (22 
Stat., 404) provides that "no person in the public service is for that 
reason under any obligations to contribute to any political fund, or to 
render any j>olitical service, and * * * he will not be removed or 
otherwise prejudiced for refusing to do so." Section 118 of the Criminal 
Code provides that no Federal officer or employee shall, directly or in- 
directly, solicit or receive, or be in any manner concerned in soliciting 
or receiving, any political assessment, subscription, or contribution from 
any other Federal officer or employee. Section 120 of the Criminal Code 
prohibits the discharge, promotion, or degi-ading of any officer or em- 
ployee for giving or failing to make any political contribution. Section 
121 of the Criminal Code prohibits any Federal officer or employee from 
making any such political contribution to another Federal officer or em- 
ployee, and section 119 prohibits the solicitation or receijrt of any politi- 
cal contribution in any room or building occupied in the discharge of 
official duties by any officer or employee of the United States, or on other 
Federal premises by any person whatsoever, whether in the public 
service or not. In connection with this latter pi'ovision, the United 
States Supreme Court has held that a solicitation by letter or circular 
addressed and delivered by mail or otherwise to an officer or employee 
of the United States at the office or building in which he is emjtloyed 
in the discharge of his official duties is a solicitation within the mean- 
ing of the law, the solicitation faking place where the letter was re- 
ceived. Section 122 of the Criminal Code provides that whoever shall 



GENERAL ADMINISTEATION AND PKOTECTION. 31 

violate any provision of the four sections above mentioned shall be fined 
not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. 
It is the duty of the Civil Service Commission to see that the civil- 
service act and rules and the above-mentioned sections of the Criminal 
Code, which were originally enacted as a part of the civil-service act, 
are strictly enforced, and it will employ every legitimate and available 
means to secure the prosecution and punishment of jiersons who may 
violate them. The conunission requests any persons having knowledge 
of any such violation to lay the facts before it, that it may at once take 
action thereon. 

(l.*?) In accordance with an Executive order issued April 8, 1912, petitions 
and other communications regarding public business addressed to Congress, or 
either House, or any committee or Member thereof, by officers or employees in 
the civil service of the United States shall be transmitted through the heads of 
llieir respective dejiartments or offices, who shall forward them without delay, 
with such comment as they may deem requisite in the public interest. Officers 
and employees are strictly prohibited from attempting, either directly or indi- 
rectly, to secure legislation or to influence pending legislation, except in the 
manner above prescribed. 

Patents. 

Employees of the Department of Agriculture are prohibited from patenting 
for their exclusive benefit any device, process, or discovery connected with the 
work of the department, jn-ovided such device, process, or discovery is made at 
the expense of Government time or Government money, or both. When an 
employee makes any new and useful discovery or invention in the course of 
his employment he should make application for a patent through the district 
assistant to the solicitor. 

The patent will be taken out in the name of the inventor without any expense 
to him, and will allow to any citizen of the United States the use of the 
patented article or process without payment of a royalty. 

Disciplinary Measures. 

Action in cases of inefficiency or misconduct are necessary in every organiza- 
tion. In taking action, however, it should always be kept in mind that the 
object is the improvement of the Service and not the infliction of punishment 
or a means of satisfaction for any error, injury, or inefficiency on the part of 
a subordinate. Generally, severe measures have no greater influence than 
light ones, and the policy should be to administer only such disciplinary meas- 
ures as will protect and maintain the standards of the Service. 

It should also be remembered that disciplinary measures will never equal in 
effectiveness close inspection to prevent misconduct or inefficiency, and that a 
warning or reprimand administered promptly will, in most cases, render more 
severe measures unnecessary. 

Transfers. 

When the conduct of a Forest officer has rendered it difficult or impossible 
for him to give that service which his superior has a right to demand, but 
which will not destroy his value to the Service in another position or on 
another Forest, he may be transferred. Forest officers may also be transferred 
at their own request because of ill health or for other personal reasons. 

Suspensions. 

In case of particularly flagrant misconduct by a member of the Forest force 
the supervisor may suspend or relieve him from duty immediately, at the same 
time reporting the circumstances in detail to the District Forester, with deflnite 
recommendations for action. Ordinarily, however, when occasion for suspen- 
sion arises, the supervisor should report the facts to the District Forester, rec- 
ommending a suspension pending further Investigation or the final disposition 
of the case. 

Demotions. 

In general, an officer will be demoted only as the result of his inability to 
perform properly the duties of his position. In some cases, however, demotion 
is administered as a severe penalty for gross negligence or serious misconduct 
of ;ni officer in a responsilile position, where the officer's action does not destroy 
his usefulness to the Service. 



32 THE NATIONAL I'OREST MANUAL. 

Reprimands. 

A formal written criticism or reprimand sbouUl be made ror misconduct or 
negligence which is more reprehensible than that which can be orally repri- 
manded, yet not sufficiently ceusifrable to demand a more severe form of 
discipliuaiy action. 

Bemoval. 

RemoA-al is the extreme administrative penalty. Removal for misconduct 
which involves moral integrity constitutes a bar to any future employment 
in the classified civil service of the Government. Often it is a serious bar- 
rier to employment in private life, and for this reason should be resorted to 
only in the most tlagrant cases. Recommendations for removal should be sup- 
ported by convincing evidence and a complete history of all the circlimstances 
which led up to it. 

Enforced Resignation, 

When for misconduct or inefficiency an officer has terminated his usefulness 
to the Forest Service, and yet does not merit removal, his resignation should 
be requested.* If the officer refuses to resign, removal must be recommended. 
In making request for resignation, which should, if possible, be verbal, the 
superior officer should make it plain that in case the delinquent refuses to 
resign he must accept full responsibility for the consequences of a removal. 

Appeals. 

An appeal from any disciplinary measure administered to an officer may be 
taken by him to the District Forester, to the Forester, and to the Secretary (Reg. 
G. A., 4). Letters of appeal must be forwarded through the hands of the imme- 
diate superior of the officer making the appeal. 

PROCEDURE. 

Civil-Service Eligibles. 

When appointments are required from any civil-service register, except for 
assistant forest ranger, the certification of eligibles will be secured fmm the 
Civil Service Commission by the District Forester through the district fiscal 
agent. Certificates which list all eligibles for assistant forest ranger are issued 
by the commission as soon as the examination papers are graded. A separate 
certificate is issued for each National Forest headquarters at which examina- 
tion was held, and this certificate lists in the order of their ratings the eligi- 
bles who are legal residents of the State or States in which the National 
Forest is situated, and who took the examination at that Forest headquarters. 
Whenever any Forest certificate contains less than three names the selecting 
officer may be authorized by the District Forester to make a group of three 
by drawing the highest name or names from the certificate of any other 
Forest within the same State. In addition to the certificates for the individual 
Forests within the State a supplemental certificate is issued for each State, 
and this gives the names of all the nonresident eligibles who took the exami- 
nation within the State for which the certificate is issued. This constitutes 
an auxiliarj- registei*, and selection will be made from it only after all the 
eligibles (j*i the individual Forest certificates have been considered in accord- 
ance with the civil-service rules. The procedure in handling certificates of 
eligibles. for either permanent or temporary employment, as given on pages 
20 to 25 of "Regulations Governing Appointments and Other Changes Affect- 
ing the Personnel in the Field Service of the Department of Agriculture," issued 
January 25. 1912, must be followed strictly. 

When Names on Register May be Passed. 

If an eligible lefuses to accept three offers of employment, either on the same 
or on different Forests, he need not be considered further. In like manner, 
when an eligible has been considered in three separate groups of three, as re- 
quired by the i-egulation, and not selected, further consideration of his name 
may be omitted. When it has come to the Ivuowledge of the Forest Service 
since the date of the examination that an eligible was dismissed from the public 
service within one year next preceding the date of his application; that he is 
physically or mentally unfit for the position for which he applies: that he has 
been guilty of criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously disgrace- 
ful conduct: that lie intentionally made a fa'se statement in any material fact 
or practiced any deception or fraud in securing examination, registration, or 
certification; or that he habitually uses intoxicating beverages to excess, his 



GENERAL ADMINISTEATION AND PROTECTION. 33 

name may be passed over, but in reporting on tlie certificate tbe facts sub- 
Ktautiatiug tbe objection must be given. Preliminary notice, however, of cases 
of refusal to accept appointment and of elimination for unfitness will be given 
at once to tbe Forester. 

Rangers Appointed for Administrative Work Only. 

Recommendations for the appointment of rangers from the civil-service reg- 
ister will be made only when the work to be done is administrative in char- 
acter, or is to continue more than six months in the year. 

Ranger Eligibles for Protective Work Appointed Guards. 

Men required for periods of six months or less, on protective work only, 
should be recommended for appointment as forest guards, whether on the 
eligible list or not. In recommending the appointment of guards, however, 
supervisors are not required to select men from the ranger register unless such 
men are locally available. 

Requests for Certification. 

Except for assistant forest rangers the certification of eligibles requires some 
time, and supervisors should anticipate their needs and request certification at 
least a month before the vacancy is expected to occur. 

Procedure for Appointments, Changes of Grade or Assignment, and Separa- 
tions. 
When a supervisor wishes to recommend an appointment, promotion, reduc- 
tion, acceptance of resignation, furlough, restoration from furlough, leave of 
absence without pay. restoration from leave of absence without pay, suspen- 
sion, removal, separation, or transfer, he will submit his recommendations as 
memorandums to the District Forester, giving name of appointee. State of legal 
residence, designation, salary, roll (statutory or miscellaneous), and date effec- 
tive, and, in the case of temporary employees, the period of employment. The 
memorandum should, whenever possible, be prepared and forwarded some time 
in advance of the date upon which the action should be effective. If, however, 
it is impracticable to forward it before the action becomes effective, it should 
be forwarded as soon as possible after the exact date is known. In memo- 
randums calling for promotion, reduction, suspension, removal, and transfer 
the date effective should be set sufliciently far ahead to secure the Secretary's 
action before it becomes effective. Such memorandums, when initialed to show 
approval by the District Forester, will be forwarded to the district fiscal agent 
as the basis for recommendations to the Secretary, for the signature of the 
Acting Forester. The carbon of the letter of recommendation to the Secretary 
will be initialed by the District Forester and the district fiscal agent. 

Administrative Letters. 

Recommendations by the supervisor in cases involving promotion, reduction, 
suspension, removal, and transfer should be made in administrative letters 
giving all the facts. , 

Officers to Be Notified in Advance of Contemplated Action. 

Any action toward separation, furlough, requested resignation, or removal, 
should be taken up in advance with the oflicer affected, to give him ample time 
to arrange his personal affairs and seek employment elsewhere. 

Removals and Reductions. 

Removals or reductions may be made for any cause which will promote the 
efficiency of the Service, but like penalties must be imposed for like offenses, 
and no discrimination for political or religious reasons is permitted. A person 
in the competitive service- whose removal is proposed must be furnished with a 
statement of reasons and be allowed sufficient time for answering such reasons 
in writing; but no examination of witnesses nor any trial or hearing is re- 
quired except in the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture. The recom- 
mendation for removal or reduction must be accompanied by all the sup- 
porting evidence and correspondence, in duplicate, except when a reduction in 
grade or compensation is made for administrative reasons and not because of 
misconduct or delinquency. In such case the employee must be furnished in 
advance with a statement of the reasons for the reduction. Copies of this 
statement, in duplicate, should accompany the recommendation, which should 
contain a concise statement of the reasons. If removal during the probational 

50599°— 12 3 



34 THE NATIONAL FOKEST .MANUAL. 

period or termination of appointment at tlie end of tliis period is proposed, the 
probationer must be notified in writing that his conduct or capacity is not 
satisfactory, with a full statement of reasons, and this notice will terminate his 
services. Copies of this statement, in duplicate, should accompany the recom- 
mendation, which should contain a concise statement of the reasons. 

Time Limit to Suspension Pending Disciplinary Action. 

Pending action looking to removal or reduction for misconduct or delinquency, 
a member of the Service may be suspended or temporarily removed for a period 
not to exceed 90 days, but the reasons for such suspension or temporary re- 
moval must be furnished the member and must be given in the recommendation 
to the Secretary of Agriculture. Copies of the statement of reasons, in duplicate, 
should accompany the recommendation. If the member is charged with Gov- 
ernment property, approval of his salary and reimbursement vouchers should be 
withheld until the property accountability has been satisfactorily settled. 

Letters Recommending Personnel Changes. 

Letters of recommendation to the Secretary of Agriculture, for the signature 
of the Acting Forester, should be prepared with black record ribbon, with three 
carbon copies. The original recommendation and two carbon copies will be 
sent to Washington, and the third carbon held by the district fiscal agent in a 
waiting file. If any change is made in the recommendation as submitted, a 
carbon copy showing the change will be sent to the district fiscal agent. If, 
however, the letter is signed as submitted, a carbon copy stamped with the sig- 
nature of the Acting Forester will be returned to the district fiscal agent for 
substitution for the waiting-file carbon, which will then be destroyed. 

Recommendations should always be written on letter paper headed : " United 
States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service." In every case these letters 
should be prepared without date. 

Care in Giving Names. 

Names must be correctly given in recommendations, and not niclmames or 
slang names. Care must be taken to give the name in a recommendation for 
appointment exactly as it appears on the certificate of the Civil Service Com- 
mission. In the case of guards, the first name, middle initial or initials, and 
surname in full should be given. 

COMPENSATION FOR INJtrRIES. 

By an act of Congress approved March 11, 1912, the provisions of the act of 
May 30, 1908, which grants to certain classes of employees of the Government 
engaged in hazardous empldymeul the right to receive from it compensation 
for injuries received in the course of their employment, were extended to in- 
clude the Forest Service. The compensation which can be given under this 
act is limited to one year's salary payable to men incapacitated for that period, 
or to depeudeilt relatives in case of death which results from such injuries 
before the expiration of the year; when the complete disability continues for 
a period less than one year, it is limited to such period at the yearly rate. 

The Department of Commei'ce and Labor, which has charge of the adminis- 
tration of this statute, has issued complete instructions governing the procedure 
to be followed by employees desiring to take advantage of its provisions. These 
instructions are furnished to every supervisor. 

CHANGES IN KEGUXiATIONS AND INSTRUCTION^. 

Issued from Washington. 

Notice of changes in the regulations or instructions will be published as 
amendments to the National Forest Manual. 

As it becomes necessary to modify and add to the National Forest Manual, 
successive changes or additions will be printed separately, as amendments, on 
pages of identical size and type with the Manual. Each amendment to the 
regulations will be given a serial number, beginning with "Amendment No. 1, 
Regulations," and each amendment to the instructions will be give a serial 
number beginning with "Amendment No. 101, Instructions." In addition to 
the serial number, each amendment will indicate the part and page of the 
Manual to which it relates. 



GENERAL ADMINISTEATION AND PROTECTION. 35 

Each Forest officer whose duties require him to be familiar with the entire 
Manual will be expected to keep one set of the Manual, to be plainly marked 
" File Copy," in which must be entered marginally, on the page designated by 
each amendment, the serial numbers of the amendments as they are issued. 
He will also keep a file of all amendments in their serial order. When a new 
amendment is received its number should first be entered on the margin of the 
designatetl page of the file copy, and the amendment should then be filed, care 
being taken to see that the amendment of the immediately preceding serial 
number is in the file. If the immediately preceding amendment is not found 
in the file the Forest officer should at once take the steps necessary to obtain 
it. File copies of the National Forest ISIanual and files of the amendments 
will be subject to inspection to see that they are kept up. 

When a new ranger is appointed he will be furnished with a set of the 
National Forest Manual and a set of all amendments issued to date, and will 
be expected to make the necessary annotations of the set to form his file copy. 

Issued from District Office. 

When a District Forester finds it necessary to issue instructions (not simply 
explanatory) under existing regulations to all officers on National Forests in 
his district, he will, when practicable, submit them to the Forester for pub- 
lication as a change in the National Forest Manual. When the delay would 
interfere with the object of the instructions, or when their scope is limited to 
district business, or if they are simply explanatory, the District Forester will 
issue a circular letter to all supervisors in his district. Copies will be sent to 
the Forester. Copies will be sent also to each District Forester, except when 
the character of the instructions is strictly routine or when the letter is issued 
as the result of general instructions from the Forester. 

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. 

CLASSIFICATION. 

Washington Office. 

The correspondence of the Washington office will comprise departmental, 
Service, branch, and office correspondence. 

Departmental Correspondence. 

The following classes of correspondence will be prepared for the signature 
of the Secretary of Agriculture: Letters to the heads of other executive 
departments, and answers to letters referred to the Forester by the chief clerk 
of the department with instructions to prepare answers for the signature of the 
Secretary. 

Service Correspondence. 

The following classes of correspondence will be signed by the Forester: 
Letters to the Secretary of Agriculture (except recommendations for appoint- 
ments, changes in salary status of the personnel, and the certification of civil- 
service eligibles, which may be signed by the Associate Forester as Acting 
Forester) ; letters to the chiefs of other bureaus in the Department of Agri- 
culture; letters involving matters of policy affecting the Service as a whole; 
letters which, in the judgment of the assistant foresters, are of sufficient im- 
portance to require the signature of the Forester; and letters making allot- 
ments to branches and districts. 

Branch Correspondence. 

The following classes of correspondence will be signed by the Assistant 
Foresters : Instructions to District Foresters on branch matters ; letters dealing 
with matters of policy affecting the branch but not the Service as a whole; 
letters involving more than one office of the branch. 

Office Correspondence. 

Chiefs of office will sign correspondence not included under departmental, 
Service, or branch correspondence. 

District Office. 

The correspondence of district offices will comprise departmental, Servicf^, 
district, and office correspondence. 



36 THE NATIONAL FOEEST MANUAL. 

Departmental and Service Correspondence. 

Departmental and Service correspoudeuce will comprise the classes sj^)ecified 
under these headings f<n' the Washington office. 

Whenever possible, the District Foi-ester vpill submit letters for the signature 
of the Secretary or the Forester and not merely furnish statements to ser^e as 
the basis for the preparation of letters in Washington. All papers necessary for 
a complete understanding of the case will accompany such letters. 

District Correspondence. 

The following classes of correspondence will be signed by the District For- 
ester : Letters to the Forester ; letters to other District Foresters ; letters mate- 
rially affecting the standing of any Forest officer; letters of allotment and 
authorization; letters dealing with matters affecting the district as a whole; 
and circular letters to supervisors necessitating additions to the field force. 
When dealing entirely with one line of work, these may be signed by the assist- 
ant district forester with the approval of the District Forester. District For- 
esters will sign letters to officers of the executive departments who are not in 
Washington, provided such correspondence does not deal with matters of general 
policy, when to correspond through Washington would seriously delay action. 

Requests for status may be signed by the assistant district forester in charge 
of the office requiring it as acting district forester. 

The assistant district foresters in charge of offices will sign correspondence 
handled in their respective offices not included above. 

Supply Depot and Property Audit Correspondence. 

Correspondence relating to requisitions for and shipments of supplies will be 
carried on directly with the property clerk. Correspondence relating to the 
actual settlement of property accounts will be carried on with the property 
auditor, Ogden, Utah. 

SIQNINa. 

Prompt Action Required. 

Neither in Washington nor in the district or supervisors' offices must the 
absence of any officer interfere with action upon correspondence. Even when 
final action can not be taken at once, the letter should be acknowledged immedi- 
ately and the correspondent informed of the date upon which action will be 
taken. 

Each member who prepares letters will keep a basket on top of his desk, in 
which only unanswered letters or other matters needing immediate attention 
will be placed. Unanswered letters or other papers dealing with unfinished 
current business must not be kept in drawers or i)igeonholes. Important papers 
will be safely put away at the close of each day. 

Washington OflBce. 

Letters to District Foresters will be signed only by administrative officers of 
the P"'orest Service. Letters to the public will be signed by members in Wash- 
ington below the rank of assistant chief of office or of administrative assistant 
only when authorized by the chief of branch concerned, and then only as acting 
chief of office. 

District Offices — Details as Acting District Forester. 

In the absence of the District Forester, district correspondence will be signed 
by a designated assistant district forester as acting district forester. 

No member of the district office below the rank of assistant district forester 
will sign official mail, except under the authority of the District Forester, and 
then only as acting assistant district forester. 

Supervisors' OfS.ces. 

In the absence of the supervisor, the deputy sui)ervisor will, as a general 
rule, sign as acting suiiervisor. If both the supervisor and deputy supervisor 
are absent, the supervisor will detail, in writing, a member of the Forest force 
to serve as acting sui>ervisor, who will handle all business of the office, with the 
exception of important matters, which he should hold until the supervisor's 
return. No Forest correspondence will be signed by the member of the Forest 
force " for the supervisor " or " per " the member's own name or initials. 

Clerks Seldom Acting Supervisor. 

It may be necessary for an acting supervisor to approve important papers 
which may be required as evidence. It is imiiortaut, therefore, that the 



GENERAL ADMlNlSTRATIOISr AND PROTECTION. 37 

approving officer be entirely competent to pass on tlieir correctness. For this 
reason the practice of authorizing a clerlj to sign as acting supervisor should 
be discouraged. Forest clerlvs who are thoroughly competent may, however, 
in the absence of the supervisors, act on and answer routine mail. 

DISTREBTJTIOIT. 

Duties of Mail Clerk. 

The mail clerk will open and refer to branches and offices in Washington, 
and to offices and sections in district offices, by dating stamp, all letters and 
telegrams except those obviously personal and those addressed to the district 
tiscal agent and to the district assistant to the solicitor, which will be delivered 
unopened. Telegrams will always be referred by messenger as soon as they 
are received. In each branch and office one person will be designated by the 
chief to whom incoming mail will be delivered. 

All incoming mail, no matter where it is received, will be stamped to show 
date of receipt. Letters, maps, or papers which have any bearing on applica- 
tions of any kind must on no account fail to show the date received. 

Keferences to Other Offices and Districts. 

When a letter pertains to the work of an office other than that to which it 
has been referred the clerk charged with the receipt of mail will refer it, by 
rubber stamp, to the right destination. If the reference is to a district, notice 
of such reference will be given to the writer by postal card (Form 41 or 42). 
If, however, it is necessary to reply by letter to a letter which is to be re- 
ferred from Washington to a district, an extra carbon, together with the letter 
acknowledged, will be sent to the District Forester stamped "Action required " 
or " For information," as may be appropriate. 

Reference to Other Departments and Bureaus. 

The reference of routine communications which require attention in other 
bureaus or divisions of the Department of Agriculture or in the General Land 
Office or in the Geological Survey will be made by rubber stamp, the blank space 
in the stamp to be filled in with pen. Such routine communications will be 
referred to the appropriate bureau or division, and not to any person by name. 
When such referred communications require comment or explanation, the ref- 
erence will be made by letter addressed to the chief and signed by tlie Forester. 

With the exceptions noted above, the reference of routine communications 
for attention in executive departments other than the Department of Agricul- 
ture will be made by indorsement prepared for the signature of the Secretary 
of Agriculture and addressed to the secretary of the executive department 
concerned. 

Letters on Law Matters. 

Letters requiring answers which involve interpretations of the law or the 
discussion of legal requirements or procedure should be merely acknowledged 
in the appropriate office and referred to the Solicitor of the department for 
answer. In letters pertaining to Service matters, but incidentally involving 
questions of law, the Service portion should be answered and extracts of the 
portions pertaining to law should be forwarded to the' Solicitor. 

FORM OF CORRESPONDENCE. 

•WASHINGTON AND DISTRICT OFFICES. 

Spacing. 

All letters will be doubled si)aced, except for quotations, which will be single 
spaced. . 

Neatness. 

No soiled or rubbed letter will be signed nor any letter in which co'-rections 
are carelessly made. 

Copying Ribbon — Record Ribbon. 

Purple copying ribbon will be used for letters prepared for the signature of 
the Secretary of Agriculture. The ribbon should be changed often enough to 
insure good press copies. All other letters will be written with black record 
ribbon. 

Margin. 

Letters should have a margin of approximately 1 inch on each side of the 
page. 



38 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Legal Documents. 

All legal documents will be written on letter-size paper. • 

Numbering Pages — Initialing Pages. 

The pages of all letters and documents, except those of only one page, will 
be numbered at tbe bottom of the page, in the middle. To give space for the 
number, the last line on the page should be at least three-quarters of an inch 
from the bottom. When a letter is more than one page, all i)ages except the 
first will bear the initials of the person addressed, on the left side in a separate 
line at the top, triple spaced above the body of the letter. 

Paper. 

Correspondence and final reiwrts will be written on white paper, and all 
memorandums and scratch copies, even though typewritten, on yellow paper. 

Date. 

The date should be half an inch below the lowest printed line on the letter- 
head. The month should not be abbreviated. Figures alone should be used for 
the day, as " March 30." 

The date will be omitted in letters prepared in the Washington office for the 
signature of the Secretary of Agriculture until after such letters are initialed 
by the Forester, but will be inserted before the letters are forwarded to the 
Secretary for signature. The date will be omitted in letters prepared in dis- 
trict offices for the signature of the Secretary or of the Forester, and will be 
inserted on the letters and the accompanying carbons in the Washington office. 

Address. 

The name and address should be double spaced when they require but two 
lines, and single sixiced if more than two. 

Special care will be taken to prefix the correct title, either official or 
honorary. 

Ordinarily Government officials, including officers of the Forest Service, will 
be addressed by their official titles only. The titles will be omitted from 
letters written to members of the Service by name. 

Salutation. 

" Dear Sir " should ordinarily be used, unless the letter answered has a more 
intimate form of salutation. Only in vei'y formal letters should " Sir " be 
used. Titles should be written out. 

Complimentary Close. 

With " Sir " use " Very respectfully " ; with " Dear sir ", " Very truly 

yours " ; with " Dear Mr. ", or " My deai* Mr. ", '' Very sincerely 

yours." 

Language — Brevity. 

Use direct, clear-cut language. Avoid odd or lengthy words when shorter, 
simpler ones will express the idea. Be concise but courteous. Avoid laborious 
statements, the essence of which might well be expressed in half the space. 
Very few letters need be longer than one page. 

Avoid Preambles. 

Never use the substance of the letter received as a preamble to the reply. 
Unless the letter to be answered has already been acknowledged and further 
reference "to its subject matter is necessary, its contents should not be indi- 
cated in the initial sentence. Reference must always be made, however, to tile 
numbers or initials for identification. 

Form of Acknowledgment — Reference to Key Initials. 

For acknowledgments or replies to the public, the initial sentence should 
usually be in this form : " Your letter of March 30 is received." In corre- 
spondence between the various officers of the Service reference should also 
be made to the key initials on the letter answered, including the case or subject 
designation if its designation differs from the one to be used in reply. 

Courtesy. 

The phrase "you will" should not be used in giving orders or instructions. 
It is peremptory without adding force, and a friendlier tone is more courteous 
and fully as effective. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 39 

Severityo 

Severity of expression will be avoided in conveying reprimands in corre- 
spondence. 

Impersonal Tone. 

So far as practicable, letters should be impersonal in expression. 
Punctuation. 

It should be borne in mind that the purix>se of punctuation is a clear under- 
standing of the text by the reader. Too little punctuation is almost as bad as 
too much. 

Promises. 

When a promise is made, do not use such indefinite phrases as " within a 
few days." " before long." Specify the date upon which action will be taken, 
or, in the rare cases when that is impossible, give the approximate date, as 
" not later than ." 

Letters of Identical Instnictions. 

Letters of identical instructions from the Washington office to the six district 
foresters will not be typewritten six times in order to furnish each District 
Forester with an original addressed to him individually, but such letters will 
be addressed simply " District Forester," and the necessary number of car- 
bons will be marked at the top " original." It will be understood that a thin 
paper carbon copy of a letter from Washington, ivhen, thus marked, so far 
from being less important than the ordinary letter, is a letter of exceptional 
importance, since it contains instructions for all the districts, and must be 
treated as such by the district foresters. Such letters will tear the original 
signatures of the administrative officers who send them. 

NATIONAI, FOREST OFFICES. 

Supervisors' OflBces. 

Wherever they will apply to the business conducted by the supervisor the 
foregoing general instructions will be followed in the preparation and ban; 
dling of his correspondence. 

The following additional rules will govern : 

Never write a letter of transmittal in forwarding any document unless some 
explanation about it is needed. Indorse the document " Respectfully forwarded 
to the District Forester," sign, and forward it with the recommendation, if 
any is required, to the District Forester. 

Supervisors will conduct all their correspondence in typewriting, except when 
away from their offices. Machines wiU be furnished upon requisition. 

Letters and reports of subordinates transmitted by a supervisor to the Dis- 
trict Forester must be originals, not copies made by the supervisor. The su- 
liervisor will keep copies when needed for his own records or, when necessary, 
request the return of the originals. 

Rangers' Correspondence. 

Unless a ranger is equipped with a typewriter all rangers' letters will be 
written in ink or indelible pencil, and on only one side of the sheet. The 
subject designation for supervisors' letters will be followed by the rangers. 
Correspondence with the public should be through the supervisor's office, but 
if it is essential to the prompt dispatch of business for the ranger to corre- 
spond directly with a user he will do so. A carbon copy will be kept of each 
letter and telegram written by a ranger. 

RECORD OF PROMISES. 

The Promise-Card Box. 

Record of all promises involving future action will be kept in all permanent 
headquarters. 

Except in rangers' headquarters, where the records will be kept on desk 
calendars, the equipment will consist of a standard promise-card box, daily and 
monthly guide cards, 3 by 5 inches, and plain white cards, 3 by 5 inches. 

A promise will always be recorded at the time it is made. The date of ful- 
fillment will be written on the first line of the promise card, and any change 
which may later become necessary should be entered on the same line. Be- 
low the date will be written the name of the person to whom the promise is 
made or who is otherwise concerned. The card will be dated in the lower left- 



40 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

hand comer. Every card will contain a memorandum or reference of sufficient 
definiteness to give a clear understanding of the promised action to anyone 
who may be required to complete it. 

If the promise can not be fulfilled on the designated date, the person to 
whom it was made will be so informed, and the card will be re-dated for action 
and changed to the time guide for the new date. 

When the action promised is long in advance or dependent upon contingen- 
cies not yet developed, it will be found useful to file the card so that it falls 
due at short intervals until the promise is fulfilled. • 

If when the promise is fulfilled no letter is required, the card will be checked 
and filed with the papers pertaining to the case ; but if the record is completed 
by the tiling of a carbon the card will be destroyed. 

Follow-TTp System. 

The same equipment will be used to follow up action requested, and the 
follow-up cards will be prepared and filed in the same way as promise cards. 

Requests to Field Officers. 

To follow up requests to field officers for reports or action a white postal card 
(Form 326) and three yellow slips, 3 by 5 inches, will be used. 

The date, case heading or subject, and key initials of the office will be en- 
tered on the slips and card by carbon duplication and the card forwarded to the 
supervisor with the request for report or action. 

One slip will be filed in the office promise-card box two weeks ahead, as a 
reminder, the other two will be sent with the card to the supervisor. He 
will place the card and one slip in his promise-card box and send the other to 
the ranger concerned. 

The ranger will enter the date on which work will reach the supervisor and 
return the slip. The supervisor will place this slip in his box as a promise 
from the ranger, destroy the other slip, enter on the card the date on which he 
will take the action required, and sign and mail the card as a post card to the 
District Forester. 

The reminder slip will be destroyed in the district office and the card filed 
under the date given by the supervisor. 

CABBOITS. 

Carbon copies will constitute the only record of outgoing correspondence. 
One carbon of every outgoing letter and telegi'am will always be kept in the 
office files. 

Each letter written in the district office for the signature of the Secretary 
or the Forester will be prepared with three carbon copies. Two will be sent 
to Washington with the letter for signature and the other held in a waiting 
file by the file clerk. After the letter is signed the signature will be stamped on 
both carbons, one carbon filed in the Washington office and the other returned 
to the district office, where the carbon in the waiting file will be destroyed. 

Carbons Mailed for Information. 

Every letter written to a District Forester which concerns the business of a 
particular Forest or refers to any specific case will be accompanied by a carbon 
copy for transmittal to the supervisor, with such supplemental remarks or in- 
structions as the District Forester may wish to add. 

A carbon copy of every letter written in the Washington office to any person 
outside of the Service which concerns business in a district will be mailed to 
the District Forester. In case it refers to business on a particular Forest two 
copies will be sent, one for the district files and the other for transmittal to 
the supervisor. 

Supervisors should always be sent copies of letters written in the district 
office which concern their Forests. Whenever a letter written by the District 
Forester to a supervisor concerns a ranger's work an extra carbon will be made 
for the ranger. 
Instructions in Carbons. 

Great care must be taken in all correspondence to avoid writing a separate 
letter when a carbon copy would suffice. Since carbons received in this way 
may contain important instructions, the recipients should always read them 
carefully. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 41 

Carbons to Secure Approval of Recommended Action. 

When a request is made by the District Forester for the approval of contem- 
plated action by the Forester or tbe Secretary, an approval space as follows 
should be provided in the lower lett-hand corner of the letter : 

(Date) , 19—. 

Approved : 



Secretary {or Forester). 
Two carbons should be made — one to accompany the original letter to Wash- 
ington and one to be retained in the waiting file in the district oflBce \uitil the 
return of the carbon showing the action of the approving officer. 

INITIAIilHa. 

Every Document Must Be Dated and Initialed or Signed. 

Absolutely, without exception, every statement, memorandum, map, or docu- 
ment of any kind will be initialed or signed for authorship, and dated. 

Washington and District Offices. 

When a letter is of more than one page, all initialing will be on the first page 
of the file carbon. Carbons should never be filed unless they bear the stamped 
signature or the written initials of the chief of the branch or office in which filed. 

Signatures will not be stamped on carbons until letters are ready for mailing. 
The stamping of the signature will be a certificate that the letter has actually 
been mailed. 

Letters will not be initialed on the original, except that letters for the sig- 
nature of the Secretary will be initialed by the Forester in the upper left-hand 
corner of the first page. The carbons of letters written for the signature of the 
Forester will be initialed by the author in the lower left-hand corner. Above 
the initials of the author will appear the initials of the chief of the office in 
which the letter was prepared and of the chief of branch or District Forester, 
in the order given. Initialing for authorship will be omitted if the signer has 
dictated the letter himself. 

Letters Affecting' More than One Branch. 

When a letter or document prepared in one branch is of interest to another 
branch it should be initialed by the chief of the latter to signify his concurrence 
or to fix his responsibility for carrying out proposed work which falls to him. 

Stenographer's Initials — Initialing for Inclosures or Promised Action. 

The stenographer will stamp his initials in the lower right-hand corner of 
each carbon. If the letter contains inclosures. or if future action is promised, 
the stenographer will stamp his initials twice, as a guaranty that the inclosures 
have been prepared, or that the action promised has been noted. When the 
action can not be taken immediately, a promise card will be prepared, to be 
retained by the stenographer, or given to any other person responsible for taking 
the action promised. When a letter entails typewriting by one stenographer and 
the preparation of inclosures or other action by another, the initials of both 
stenographers will be stamped in the lower right-hand corner of the carbon. 

When the signer makes any changes with the pen, in a letter of which he is 
not the author, he will return the letter to the author in order that the changes 
may be noted and entered on the carbon, before the letter is sent to the mail 
clerk for mailing. 

Carbon copies of signed letters sent as instructions or merely for information 
will bear no initialing, but will be exact duplicates of the original letters and 
not of the file carbons. 

In approving memorandums, requisitions, and other office papers only initials 
will be affixed. 

Letters prepared in the supervisor's office will follow the came routine in re- 
gard to preparation, form, inclosures, initialing, and dating as prescribed for 
the district office. 

TEIiEORAMS. 

The procedure for correspondence applies equally to telegrams. The following 
general rules should be carefully observed : The telegraph should be used only 
when the delay in using the mail would be injurious to the public interests. 
Omit all unnecessary words. In a message from one official or employee to 



42 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. , 

another titles should not be used. In a great many cases names of both address 
and signature may be limited to single words. Numbers should be expressed in 
words. Ordinal numbers must not be abbreviated. " Night " messages should 
be used when practicable. 

Since in official telegrams the address and signature are paid for as part of 
the message, the following abbreviated addresses will be used: 

To Washington Office: 

Forester, Washington, D. C. 
To district offices : 

Forestry, San Francisco, Cal. 
To Madison Laboratory : 

Forestry, Madison, Wis. 
To property clerlj or auditor : 

Smith, Forestry, Ogden, Utah ; or Falck, Forestry, Ogden, Utah. 
To supervisors : 

Forestry, Prescott, Ariz. 

All officers in charge of permanent field headquarters will register their tele- 
graph addresses with the Postal and Western Union Telegraph companies. The 
supervisors will inform the District Forester by mail of any change in the ad- 
dress registered. 

In telegrams only the first word of the message and proper names will be 
capitalized, and puuctuatiou will not be used. Serious errors in telegrams re- 
ceived make this rule necessary. Telegrams should be signed with the last 
name only. 

Unsigned telegrams will under no circumstances be placed in the messenger's 
basket, but will be sent by messenger for initialing or signature. The messen- 
ger will in every case find the person or persons whose initials or signature is 
required, if in the building, and if out of the building will at once report to 
the person by whom the telegram was pi'epared. In the Washington office day 
telegrams when signed will be delivered to the telephone room for forwarding. 
In district offices outgoing day telegrams will be delivered to the mail clerk. 
In both the Washington and district offices all outgoing night telegrams will be 
delivered to the mail clerk and sent at the close of the day. When a telegram 
is written at or near the close of office hours the person by whom it is pre- 
pared will make sure that it is signed and sent before leaving for the day. 

The file designation will be placed on the file carbon of each telegram. 

Supervisor's Office. 

Whenever a supervisor leaves his headquarters with no one in charge, he 
should notify his telegraph office of the place where he can be reached by mail 
when not in direct telegraphic communication. Supervisors need not hesitate 
to use the wire when important matters demanding quick action arise, but 
they must make all telegrams as brief as possible. 

MAH-ING. 

Washington Office. 

In branches which have clerks specially assigned as mailing clerks, messen- 
gers will deliver signed letters, with accompanying papers, directly to such 
clerks, who will be responsible for all mailing from the branch. In branches 
and offices without specially assigned mailing clerks, signed letters will be 
returned to the stenographers for mailing. 

Letters to District Foresters will be mailed from Washington in envelopes 
with printed addresses. 

District Offices. 

In district offices the messengers will deliver signed letters, with accompany- 
ing papers, directly to the mail clerk. Letters to the Forester and to the 
forest supervisors will be mailed in enveloi:)es with printed addresses. 

Envelopes with printed addresses should be used whenever the volume of 
correspondence with any addressee justifies it. 

Envelopes for correspondence sent to the Forester, the district foresters, or 
the forest supervisors, will be kept open until the end of the official day. when 
they will be sealed and mailed. 

Supervisors' Offices. 

All letters written to the District Forester on the same day will be mailed 
in one envelope. A special desk basket will be set apart in wiich all mail 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 43 

intended for the district office will be deposited, witli inclosures securely 
attached to letters. At the close of the day the letter, without being folded, 
will be placed in a large enveloi>e and mailed. Printed euveloi)es will be 
furnished on requisition. When the day's mail consists of but one letter, how- 
ever, the letter should be folded and mailed in an envelope of the ordinary 
size. Vouchers will not be inclosed with other mail, 

ENVELOPES AND INCIiOSTTRES. 

The stenograph* will address envelopes for all letters except those to the 
Forester, to a District Forester, or to a Forest Supervisor (see Mailing) before 
submitting the letters for initialing or signature. 

The stenographer will place in the envelope the inclosures which are to 
accompany the letters to be returned to the stenographer for mailing. When 
the mailing is to be done by another clerk the inclosures will be securely 
clipped behind the letter for signature. 

The stenographer will not initial for inclosures until the inclosure has been 
actually made or action taken as above; nor will he initial as a token that 
other action promised in the letter has been performed until its i^erformance 
has taken place or the necessary steps for its performance have been taken, 
as prescribed under "Carbons" and "Initialing." 

When a document to be inclosed by the stenographer is of such a character 
that to withhold the letter from signature until the inclosure has actually been 
made would cause delay in mailing, the stenographer will initial in the manner 
prescribed under " Initialing," and attach by clip a blue card to the addressed 
envelope as a reminder that the inclosure has not yet been made. This pro- 
cedure will likewise be followed when a document to be inclosed is submitted 
with the letter for the information of the signer. 

Identification of Material Mailed Separately. 

When it is necessary to mail under separate cover maps or publications re- 
ferred to in correspondence, a slip of paper bearing the designation and date of 
the letter written will be attached to the material. In case such material is 
mailed without a letter of transmittal, it must in every case be accompanied by 
a slip of paper bearing the key initials of the branch or office in Washington or 
the office or section in the district office for which it is intended. 

FHilNG. 

Washington Office. 

The correspondence files of the branches and offices in Washington may be 
assembled in branch file rooms or located in the individual offices, as may be 
most conducive to efficiency'. 

District Office. 

In like manner the District Forester may, in his discretion, maintain a cen- 
tral file room in which all records of the district office will be assembled, or he 
may maintain separate files in offices or sections. 

Description of Files. 

The files will be maintained upon a sub.1ective classification arranged on a 
self-indexing basis. No card record of filed correspondence will be made. 

The complete sub.1ective classification, with illustrations of the subject desig- 
nations to be used in the Washington, district, and supervisors' offices, is given 
in a mimeographed cii'cular headed '' Subject designations and filing system." 
This classification must not be varied in the district and supervisors' offices 
without authorit' from the Forester. 

Each branch an.l office file will consist of two general sections: 

(1) A classified section, in which will be filed, behind appropriate guides, all 
correspondence which bears a subject designation expressed in words (e. g., 
F., Personnel. Jones, J. H.). 

(2) A miscellaneous section, in which will be filed alphabetically, without 
regard to Forests or subjects, all correspondence bearing as a designation the 
letter Z after the branch or office key initial or initials (e. g., FZ, DZ, OOZ). 

Correspondence which bears neither the letter Z nor a subject designation will 
be returned, with accompanying papers, to the office in which it originated for 
the proper filing designation. 

All correspondence will be filed flat in vertical filing drawers, except where 
branches and offices in Washington now use for alphabetic files furniture which 



44 THE NATIONAL FOREST I\rANTTAL. 

is especially designed for horizontal and not vertical filing. No new furniture 
designed for horizontal filing will be purchased. 

As correspondence is received for filing the file clerk will fasten the carbon 
to the answered letter. AVhen the carbon is not accompanied by an answered 
letter, its pages will be fastened together as a unit for tiling. 

In the miscellaneous section, when names of correspondents begin with the 
same letter, alphabetical filing will be by the spelling of the surnames, as 
Jenkins, Johnson, Jones. When correspondence from two or more persons o:^ 
the same surname is filed together, it will be filed alphabetically by the initials 
of the given names, as A. Jones, H. Jones. W. Jones. If the initials are also the 
same, the spelling of the first name will be the guide to the filing, as Albei-t 
Jones, Alfred Jones, Arthur Jones. Correspondence filed under the same name 
will be filed chronologically, with the most recent letter on top. Correspondence 
with members of the Forest Service, with members of other bureaus, and with 
State ofiicials will be filed under the name of the office of the correspoiident, and 
not under his name or title. Correspondence with official' of firms, associations, 
and other private organizations will be filed by the name jf the writer when the 
letter does not relate to the business of the organization. 

Circular Letters. 

Circular letters will be filed as other correspondence. 
Cross Reference. 

Cross references will be made whenever they will be of assistance in locating 
papers or cori'espondence. I'or exaui))le, Jones may write regarding the Smith 
timber sale. In that event Jones's letter and a carbon of the answer will be 
filed in the folder of the Smith timber sale. An extra carbon of the answer 
will be filed alphabetically as a cross reference in the miscellaneous section. 
The typewritten subject designation on the cross reference carbon should be 
crossed out with pencil and the appropriate Z designation substituted before 
filing. In case no answer is made to the Jones letter, a sheet of yellow paper 
bearing the name of Jones and the subject designation under which his letter 
has been filed will be filed under " Jones " in the miscellaneous section. 

As an additional safeguard against failure to date maps, statements, or memo- 
randums prepared in the Forest Service, file clerks must see to it that no paper 
without date and initialing or signature is filed. 

If they wish, supervisors may insert behind the miscellaneous section a guide 
marked "Applications for positions," with either a single folder or an addi- 
tional A to Z file, as may be required by the volume of business. 

Rangers' Files. 

Each ranger will be supplied with such standai'd filing equipment as, in the 
judgment of the supervisor, his business warrants. After receiving instruc- 
tions from the supervisor on the method of keeping his files he will be held 
responsible for the completeness and correctness of his files. 

Rangers' Record. 

All records and notes of ranger district business should be considered as 
official, and rangers should keep them in such shape that they can be turned 
over to a successor as part of the regular official records of the district. 

TRANSFEREXNO. 

"Washington, District, and Supervisors' Offices. 

Correspondence filed vertically in the miscellaneous section will be trans- 
ferred periodically, with the accompanying alphabetical guide cards, to wooden 
transfer units of the same size as the drawers used for the current file. The 
entire file from A to Z will be transferred. Correspondence filed alphabetically 
in the horizontal filing drawers in the Washington office will be transferred as 
drawers are filled. 

Correspondence filed in the classified section under designated subjects, but 
not under designated transactions, will be transferred periodically, with the 
accompanying guide cards and folders, to wooden transfer units and new guide 
cards inserted in the current files. 

Correspondence in designated transactions will be transferred as the trans- 
actions are closed, with the inclosing folders, to wooden transfer luiits labeled 
" Closed file." The folders will be arranged in the closed file in the same rela- 
tive order as in the current file. 



GENERAL ADMINISTEATION AND PROTECTION. 45 

Transfer units for the miscellaneous section will be labeled with the appro- 
priate letters of the alphabet and with the inclusive dates. 

Transfer units for correspondence under designated subjects, but not under 
designated transactions, will be labeled with the appropriate designation and 
the Inclusive dates. 

Transfer units for correspondence under designated transactions will be 
labeled with the appropriate designation, and, when the transferred folders fill 
moi-e than one unit in a single class of transactions, with the inclusive letters 
in the alphabetical arrangement of the folders. 

BOUNDARIES. 

GENERAIi. 

Creation by President Authorized by Act of Congress. 
The act of March 3, 1801 (26 Stat.. 1095), provides: 

Sec. 24. That the President of the Ignited States may, from time to 
time, set apart and reserve, in any State or Territory having public 
land bearing forests, in any part of the public lands wholly or in part 
covered with timber or undergrowth, whether of commercial value or 
not. as public reservations, and the President shall, by public proclama- 
tion, declare the establishment of such reservations and the limits 
thereof. 

The act of June 4. 1897 (30 Stat., 11). authorizes the President to revoke 
or suspend any proclamation or to reduce the area or change the boundary 
lines of such forests. The act further provides that the reservations — 

* * * shall be as far as practicable controlled and administered in 
accordance with the following provisions : 

No public forest reservation shall be established, except to improve 
and protect the forest within the reservation, or for the purpose of 
securing favorable conditions of water flows, and to furnish a con- 
tinuous supply of timber for the use and necessities of citizens of the 
United States; but it is not the purpose or intent of these provisions, 
or of the act providing for such reservations, to authorize the inclusion 
therein of lands more valuable for the mineral therein, or for agricul- 
tural purposes, than for forest purposes. 

Under date of February 7, 1910. the Secretary of the Interior and the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture submitted a joint letter to the President, which was ap- 
proved by him, defining more fully the character of lands contemiilated by the 
two acts above referred to, as follows : 

1. Lands wholly or in part covered with brush or other undergrowth 
which protects streamflow or checks erosion on the watershed of any 
stream important to irrigation or to the water supply ef any city, town, 
or community, or open lands on which trees may be grown, should be 
retained within the National Forests, unless their permanent value under 
cultivation is greater than their value as a protective forest. 

2. Lands wholly or in part covered with timber or undergrowth, or cut- 
over lands which are more valuable for the production of trees than for 
agricultural crops, and lands densely stocked with young trees having a 
prospective value greater than the value of the land for agi'icultura! 
purposes, should be retained within the National Forests. 

3. Lands not either wholly or in part covered with timber or under- 
growth, which are located above timber line within the Forest boundary 
or in small bodies scattered through the Forest, making elimination im- 
practicable, or limited areas which are necessarily included for a proper 
administrative boundary line, should be retained within the National 
Forests. 

4. Lands not either wholly or in part covered with timber or under- 
growth, except as provided for in the preceding paragraphs, upon which 
it is not expected to grow trees, should be eliminated from the National 
Forests. 

Creation Restricted in Six States. 

In an amendment to the agricultural appropriation bill approved March 4, 
1907 (34 Stat., 1256), it is provided that "hereafter no forest reserve shall be 



46 - THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

created, nor shall any additions be made to one heretofore created within the 
limits of the States of Oregon, Washington. Idaho. Montana. Colorado, or 
Wyoming, except by act of Congress." The power of the President to create 
orenlarge National Forests in other States and in the Territories remains un- 
affected by this act. 
Temporary Withdrawals. 

Temporai-y withdrawals of land from entry may be made by the President 
under the act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 847), when the creation of new Forests 
or additions is contemplated and a withdrawal is deemed necessary. Such 
Avithdrawals Ciin not be made within the States of Colorado, Idaho. Montana, 
Oregon, Washington, or Wyoming, unless there is pending legislation which 
proposes the inclusion of the areas within a National Forest. 

National Monuments. 

The act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat.. 225), provides for the protection of objects 
of historic and scientific interest on lands controlled by the Government, and 
authorizes the President to create, by proclamation, national monuments for 
their preservation. The act also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, on 
behalf of the United States, to accept deeds of gift of privately owned land 
containing such objects. 
What May Be Included. 

When a national monument is created within a National Forest, it is under 
the jurisdiction of the Forest Service. The objects which may properly be 
recommended for reservation under this act are cliff dwellings, pueblo ruins, 
ancient rock paintings, unique topographic or geologic features, historic land- 
marks, and groves of rare trees in danger of destruction. 

Cooperation in Selection. 

The Forest Service will cooperate, when necessary, with the Bureau of Ameri- 
can Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution in protecting and securing 
information regarding objects of historic and scientific interest located on or 
near the borders of National Forests. 

Not to Be Listed to Homesteaders. 
No lands containing such object will be listed under the»Forest-homestead act. 

BOUNDARY CHANGES. 

Policy — Additions and Eliminations. 

Although boundary questions as a whole may be considered as fairly well 
settled in so far as the addition or elimination of large areas is involved, yet it 
is safe to assume that only in a few exceptional cases are the boundary lines 
definitely and finally located exactly where they can be said to include only 
such lands as will for all time be classed as chiefly valuable for timber grow- 
ing and watershed protection purposes and to exclude all lands, with the excep- 
tion of such small areas as must be retained for administrative reasons, as 
may for all time be classed as chiefly valuable for agriculture, mining, grazing, 
or other uses. As the population increases and the demand, not only upon 
the timber and the water resources of the National Forests, but also for lands 
for other uses, principally agriculture, becomes more intensive and lands of all 
classes acqn,ire correspondingly higher values, it will become necessary to draw 
the lines more and more closely between those lands chiefly valuable for forest 
purposes and those lands chiefly valuable for •other purposes, which it is the 
intent of Congress should not be withheld from private settlement and develop- 
ment. In the future, therefore, boundary questions concerning additions to and 
eliminations from National Forests, while having to do with much smaller areas 
than in the past, will be more difficult to determine and will involve much 
closer and more careful investigation of all the factors involved, many of 
which will be of a highly technical nature. The classification of lands within 
the National Forests in order to determine the comparative values and the 
highest use to which they may be put should consequently become increasingly 
more intensive, in order that the recommendations submitted may be well 
founded. 

Inter-Forest Boundaries. 

Boundaries between ad.joining Forests will jrenerallybe upon topographic lines, 
although legal subdivisions may be followed. They will be determined after a 



GENEEAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 47 

careful consideration of the convenience of the users, and of the suitability of 
the proposed boundary from the point of view of, economy in and efficiency of, 
administration. 

STATE SCHOOIi LANDS— EXCHAiraE. 

In furtherance of the indemnity rights of the several States under the pro- 
visions of section 2275 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, as modified 
by the act of February 28, 1891, cooperative agreements may be, and in several 
instances have been, entered into between the Department of Agriculture and 
the State, for the exchange of school lands within the National Forests for 
solid blocks of land of equal acreage and value along the borders of Forests. 

TOWN SITES. 

Lands in National Forests embraced in valid town-site settlements, made 
before the withdrawal of the land and creation of the Forests, may, unless 
abandoned, be entei'ed and patented under the town-site laws, without regard 
to the period which has elapsed after their settlement or after the establishment 
of the Forest, and without the necessity of eliminating the town-site area from 
the Forest. 

"When it is desired to establish a town site on lands within a National Forest. 
a petition should be addressed to the District Forester. An investigation will 
be made under his direction to ascertain if it is necessary and advisable to use 
such lands for town-site purposes. If approved an Executive order to exclude 
the lands may be issued to enable the applicants to proceed under the town-site 
laws and the regulations of the Department of the Interior. 

PBOCEDUKE. 
SUPEBVISORS PROCEDURE. 

Examinations. 

The examination of Forest boundaries will be undertaken by direction of the 
District Forester under the instruction of the supervisor in charge of the Forest 
concerned or, in the case of a new area, under the supervisor of the nearest 
Forest. 

Extent of Examinations. 

The examinations should not be confined strictly to the area described in 
letters of instruction, but must embrace all lands in thq^ locality which are 
suited to National Forest purposes. The examiner will be held responsible 
for covering thoroughly all lands in the section to which he is assigned. 

Data Necessary. 

Before beginning field work the examiner should be in possession of sufti- 
ciently detailed geographic and alienated land data to enable him definitely to 
locate proposed boundaries and to determine in the field the title of the land. 

Field Work and Survey. 

The accuracy of the survey that will be necessary will depend upon the 
value of the land involved. If scattered additions are contemplated in heavily 
timbered country it may be necessary to locate and cruise each forty ; on the 
other hand, if it is simply a question of the addition or elimination of a strip 
of land whose general character is known a much less detailed survey will 
ordinarily be sufiicient. In every case, however, it is essential that the ex- 
aminer know exactly where he is at all times in relation to the corners and 
lines of the public land survey. To be sure of this, work with the compass 
may be necessary. 

Photographs. 

When it is feasible, photographs should accompany a report to illustrate 
not only the general characteristics of the country, but important specific 
points as well. Special effort should be made to secure photographs if the 
value of the area for forest or watershed protection purposes is at all doubt- 
ful or if the elimination of an area has been requested by petitions. 

Maps. 

A map which shows land classification and a title, or status map, showing 
alienated lands, should be submitted with each report. 



48 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Land-Classification Map. 

The land classification should be compiled on the scale that best suits the 
requirements of the case at hand. When a scale of 1 inch to the mile is used 
the map should be on atlas correction sheets (Form 979). or if only a small 
area is involved on inch-to-the-mile township plats. In some cases where it is 
desirable to show the relation of the change in^■olYed to the entire Forest 
it may be necessary to use a map on the scale of one-half inch to the mile. 
The map should show land surveys and topography in India ink. For unsur- 
veyed lands the examiner should prepare a sketch map showing drainage and 
as much additional toix)graphic data as may be practicable. 

The land classification shown on the map should be in conformity with the 
standard Forest Service scheme. 

Title Map. 

The title map will consist either of a duplicate of the base map or of town- 
ship plats which cover the area, and will show the different classes of aliena- 
tion by distinctive colors. The map should be provided with an approjn-iate 
legend. These data should be obtained before a field examination is under- 
taken ; they may be secured from the supervisor's oflice, from the district office, 
or from the local land office. 

The Boundary. 

On both the land classification and the title maps the existing forest boundary 
will be shown by a heavy blue-pencil line, and the recommended boundary of 
either additions or eliminations by a heavy red-pencil line. Whenever prac- 
ticable the boundary will run on section or quarter-section lines, but w^here 
valuable timber is involved and the land is heavily alienated, it may run on 
40-acre subdivisions. In a region covei'ed by the General I^and Office surveys 
a stream may be used for the exterior boundary only when it is shown as 
meandered on the official land-office plats. In unsurveyed regions any sti'eam 
may be used as an extei'ior boinidary which has a reasonably fixed channel 
and flows continuously throughout the year. The alienations and the forest 
cover outside the recommended boundary should be shown for a distance suffi- 
cient to convince the reviewing officer that the boundary has been properly 
located. When the question is one of elimination these same facts should be 
shown inside the existing boundary. Both maps should be dated and should 
bear the name and title of the examiner. 

Report, 

The examiner's report should supplement the information given on the map 
with such detailed description of the natural features of the area in question 
and of the economic conditions governing its use as are necessary to confirm 
his lecommendations. 

The following outline of topics is suggested as having a bearing on boundary 
changes. Each should be discussed in so far as it has relation to the particular 
case under consideration. 

Outline. 

(1) Location and area. 

(2) Description of topography. 

(3) Climate — its eft'ect on forest growth and agricultural possibilities. 

(4) Forest: 

(a) Silvicultural types. 

(6) Amount and class of timber. 

(c) Reproduction. 

(d) Value as protection cover. 

(5) Fire damage.. 

(6) The value of the area for power, reservoir development, and other 

public uses. 

(7) Settlements. 

(8) Industries: 

(a) Agricultui'al. 

(6) Grazing. 

(c) Lumbering, etc. 

(9) Transportation, roads, and trails. 

(10) Public sentiment. 

(11) Administration. 

(12) Conclusions and recommendations. A clear recommendation for or 

against the change, with brief summary of reasons. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 49 

Report Submitted to Supervisor. 

The examiner will submit to the supervisor for indorsement his report in 
triplicate, with two copies each of the land classification and title maps. The 
supervisor will forward the report in duplicate to the District Forester, with 
one copy each of the classification and title maps, accompanied by any further 
statements and recommendations desired. The retained copies of the report 
and maps will be filed in the supervisor's office. 

Inter-Forest Changes. 

When changes are contemplated in inter-Forest boundaries the supervisors 
of the Forests affected will confer and submit a joint report and recommenda- 
tion to the District Forester. In case of disagreement the District Forester will 
decide. 

Temporary Withdrawals. 

If the supervisor, either upon his own findings or upon those of a reporting 
officer, is convinced that a withdrawal is necessary, he will submit a brief 
report to the District Forester covering the urg-ency of the situation and describ- 
ing the character of the land to be withdrawn. The report should be accom- 
panied by a plat of the area. 

National Monuments. 

Upon the discovery of an object worthy of Inclusion in a national monument 
the supervisor will submit a detailed report to the District Forester. This re- 
port should be accompanied by a tracing showing the location of the objects by 
legal subdivisions or by metes and bounds. When feasible, photographs also 
should be submitted. 

DISTRICT OFFICE PROCEDURE. 

Action on Reports and Maps. 
, Upon receipt of reports and maps from the supervisor recommending bound- 

ary changes the District Forester, if he approves the changes, will transmit the 
report in duplicate, accompanied by classification and title map to the Forester. 

Secretary's Letter. 

Upon receipt of notice of the Forester's ratification of the boundary the 
District Forester will prepare a letter to the Secretary of the Interior or to 
the President for the signatui-e of the Secretary of Agriculture. This letter 
will explain the necessity for the proposed boundary change and transmit the 
draft of the proclamation for approval or signature. In the case of inter-Forest 
boundary changes in connection with which no exterior changes are being made, 
and in this case only, the letter should be addressed to the President. In the 
case of eliminations the letter should state whether the lands eliminated con- 
tain valuable power sites. If no information to that effect is of record, the 
letter should so state. Attention should also be called to administrative sites 
retained as isolated tracts of Forest land and to any tracts embraced within 
eliminated areas which are not desired longer for administrative purposes and 
which should be released. The original letter with two carbons should be for- 
warded to the Forester, and a third carbon is retained in the awaiting file. 

Press Notice. 

At the time the Secretary's letter is written the District Forester will prepare 
also an undated press notice, in duplicate, on yellow paper. This should be a 
short statement for publication, describing the change in boundary and its need. 

Number of Lithographic Prints. 

It may be advisable at times to issue more or fewer lithographic prints than 
the regular number, depending upon the probable permanency of the boundary 
line as established by the proclamation. This may be done if the request is 
sent to the Forester before the edition is printed. 

Ranger Stations Retained as Isolated Tracts. 

When it is necessary to eliminate lands surrounding administrative sites 
whose further retention is desirable the administrative site will be retained and 
shown on the tracing as an isolated tract of Forest land. 

Recommendations for Withdrawals. 

Upon receipt of recommendations from the supervisor for the withdrawal of 
land under the act of June 25, 1910, the District Forester will pass upon the 

50599°— 12 4 



50 



THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



advisability of the proposed action and, if he approves it, will prepare a Secre- 
tary's letter to the Secretary of tlie Interior, transmitting a draft for an execu- 
tive order and recommending tliat it be sent to the President for signature. 
When not accompanied'by a tracing the Secretary's letter should state in v/hich 
land district the area lies. Four copies of the Secretary's letter should be 
submitted. 

Release of Withdrawals. 

Upon receipt of notice that a proclamation has been signed establishing a 
National Forest, the District Forester should at once determine if any lands 
held under temporary withdrawal in the vicinity of the National Forest shoul-d 
be released, and if so a recommendation to that effect should be made. This 
should be in the form of a Seci'etary's letter to the Secretary of the Interior, 
with three carbons, accompanied by a tracing which shows the area to be 
released. This tracing will, when practicable, be on special linen, crosslined 
on a scale of 1* inches to the township. The letter should give the reason for 
the reconmiendation for release and should state whether or not the lands to 
be released embrace valuable power sites, or if the records do not disclose 
this fact, a statement to that effect should be inserted. The tracing should 
bear the title : 



Proposed release near 

National Forest. 

State 

Meridian. 

Land District. 

Area to be released 

Recommended by , 

District Forester. 



Approved by 

Forester. 

Release requested 

Release order signed 

Opened to settlement 

Open to entry 

Area 



National Monuments. 

Upon receipt of a report recommending the creation of a national monument, 
the District Forester will forward the report and map to the Forester with 
recommendations. The Forester will confer with the Bureau of Ethnology 
regarding the desirability of creating the monument and advise the District 
Forester of the decision. 

Upon notice of approval by the Forester of a proposed monument, the Dis- 
trict Forester will prepare the necessary Secretary letter and transmit four 
copies of it to vhe Forester with a tracing. The tracing for monuments em- 
bracing small areas should be drawn to such a scale as will admit of its being 
printed on a single sheet, legal cap size, withont folding. 



WASHINGTON OFFICE PROCEDURE. 

Action on Petitions and Inquiries. 

Upon receipt, by the Forester, of i:)etitions or letters which pertain to changes 
in Forest boundaries, or to the creation of national monuments, a reply will 
be prepared for the signature of the official to whom the communication is 
addressed or referred. This reply will state that the matter is referred to the 
District Forester for consideration, and will promise further reply upon receipt 
of report from the District Forester. A carbon copy of the letter, indorsed 
" Action required," with copies of the correspondence to which it relates, will 
be sent to the District Forester, who will prepare appropriate letters for signa- 
ture of the proper official, and submit them to the Forester for transmittal. 

Letters will be prepared in the Washington oflSce only when there is already 
on file sufficient information upon which a reply can be based, or when an 
immediate reply is necessary. In such cases cai'bons will be sent to the District 
Forester for his information, together with copies of the correspondence. 

Action on Boundary Reports. 

I Upon receipt of reports, and of the District Forester's recommendations con- 
cealing changes in boundaries, accompanied by type and title maps, the status 
will be obtained, if that is desirable, and the report will be submitted to the 
various branch chiefs for initialing before being submitted to the Forester for 
final approval. The District Forester and the interested persons will be in- 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION" AND PROTECTION. 51 

formed of the decision by letter. Two colored diagrams, bearing date and 
showing the approved line, will be sent to the District Forester and an exact 
copy kept in the Washington office files. 

Proclamations and Executive Orders, Prepared in Washington Office, Re- 
ferred to Solicitor, 
The texts of proclamations and executive orders will be drafted in the 
Washington office and submitted to the Solicitor for consideration. 

Proclamation Diagrams, Requisition. 

Requisition, Forms 273 and 9S,S. is made upon Geography for each proclama- 
tion, tracing, and photographic negative reduced to the scale of 1^ inches to the 
township. 

Photographic Prints. 

Ten photographic prints are furnished, four of which are mounted on linen. 
Two of these mounted copies are sent to the district, one for the district's and 
one for the supervisor's file. The others are retained in the Washington office. 
Three unmounted prints are attached to the text of the proclamation and 
transmitted to the Secretary of the Interior. 

In case of additions, a memorandum initialed by the Forester is inclosed 
also. This is for the files of the Interior Department, and sets forth the 
desirability of the addition. It is accompanied by a land classification map. 

Post Cards Attached. 

Two prepared postal cards are sent with the papers which go to the Secre- 
tary of the Interior; one of these is returned as a notification to the Forester 
that the recommended action has been taken and the proclamation submitted 
to the President for signature. The other goes on to the Bureau of Rolls and 
Library, Department of State, and is returned from that bureau as notification 
of the fact and date of signature by the President. 

Announcement of Signature. 

Announcement of the signing of a proclamation will be telegraphed to the 
District Forester; branch offices in Washington are Informed by memorandum. 

Press Notice. 

The prepared press notice will be sent to the editor for release as soon as 
notification of the President's signature is received. 

Transfer Print and Lithographic Copies. 

After the proclamation is signed, requisition, Form 988. is made on the 
photographer for a transfer print and the proper number of lithographic copies 
of the diagi-am. 

The State Department is furnished with 500 lithographic prints to be at- 
tached as a part of the printed proclamations. A portion of these are retained 
by the State Department and the remainder returned to the Forester. One 
hundred copies are retained in the Washington office and the balance sent in 
equal portions to the District Forester and the supervisor concerned. 

Two copies of the signed Secretary letter of transmittal, together with two 
copies of the proclamation or executive order, will be sent to the District For- 
ester, one for the district and one for the supervisor's files. 

Maps Returned to District Forester. 

The land classification and title maps will be returned to the District For- 
ester for final filing. 

Eliminations Open to Settlement and Entry. 

In the case of the restoration to settlement and entry of areas eliminated 
two copies of the Commissioner's letter will be sent to the District Forester, 
upon receipt of notice from the General Land Office. A yellow memorandum 
will be prepared for the files of the Washington office. This will bear the date 
upon which the eliminated areas are opened to settlement and entry. 

Action on Temporary Withdrawal. 

In the case of approved temporary withdrawals six copies of an Executive 
order are prepared. Three of these are transmitted to the Secretary of the 
Interior with the prepared Secretary letter, two copies are forwarded to the 
District Forester for the files of the district and supervisor's offices, and one 
copy is retained for the Forester. 



52 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Release. 

When 1:111(1 held under temporary withdrawal is recommended for release 
by a District Forester, blue prints will be made of tbe tracing which accom- 
panies the recommendation, four to be sent with the prepared Secretary letter 
of transmittal. 

Notice of Release Returned to District Forester. 

When the Secretary of the Interior signs and forwards the order of release 
to the register and receiver of the local land office the Forester is furnished 
a carbon of the order. Tile tracing is returned to the I~)istrict Forester, in- 
dorsed with the area, date of release order, and dates of restoration of the 
land to settlement and entry, together with two blue prints and two return 
copies of the Secretary letter. The blue prints and the copies of the letter 
will each bear indorsements identical with those on the tracing. 

National Monuments. 

The procedure followed in the creation and proclamation of national monu- 
ments is the same as that followed in boundary changes. 

GRAPHIC INFORMATION. 

FOKEST SURVEYS AND MAPS. 

"Instructions for Malting Forest Surveys and Maps" is issued in pocket 
form for the use of field officers. This manual describes the instruments used, 
explains various methods of surveying, and specifies the forms for keeping field 
notes : these forms follow closely the style of the General Land Office. 

The kind of survey, whether by transit, compass, or plane table, and the 
methods of making it, must be left to the .ludgnient of the officer in charge, 
who will be guided in making his decision by the purpose for which the sur- 
vey is made. 

SXTRVEYING NATIONAIi FOREST BOXTNDAErBS. 

Marking Boundaries. 

The lioundary lines of every Forest and tlie boundaries of jirivate lands 
within the Forests must be located iind marked for the information of the 
public in order to prevent traspass and to simplify the administration of the 
Forest. 

Boundary Posters. 

In timber the boundary lines should be marked by blazes, as described in 
the " Instructions for Making Forest Surveys and Maps." Boundary posters 
with the proper description should be placed at all corners and at intersections 
with trails, roads, streams, and ridges. The poster should face outward from 
the Forest, and should state that it marks the east, north, west, or south 
boundary, according to the specific part of the boundary line upon which it 
is placed. In openings, where there is no timber ujion which the notices can 
be tacked, posts should be set. The intersection of lioundary lines with impor- 
tant roads and trails should be in-ominently indicated by means of painted 
signs giving the name of the Forest. 

Retracements and Restoration of Comers. 

Retracements, including the restoration of lost or obliterated corners and 
marks, should be made in accordance vs^th the circular of instructions issued 
by the General Laud Office. 

Special Surveys. 

Where the boundaries can not be located accurately by the regular force 
the matter of their survey by the Interior Department or by engineers of the 
Forest Service should be taken up with the District Forester. 

Corners and Marks Protected by Law. 

Destroying, defacing, changing, or moving any corner, meander post, mona- 
ment, or bench mark, or cutting down any blazed line or witness tree on any 
(Tovernment line or survey is prohibited by specific act of Congress, and Forest 
officei's should report violations of this law. 

Record of Boundary Survey. 

When any work in connection with the survey or retracemeut of boundary 
lines, or the restoration or referencing of corners, has been performed by a For* 



GENEKAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 53 

est oflScer, he will trausuiit his notes, sketch maps, and report to the supervisor, 
who will keep a record of all work of this nature on a map, showing the lines 
retracted, marked, or surveyed, the corners located or restored, and the points 
supplied with special signs. 

MAP MAKING. 

Map making in the Forest Service is of two general kinds: From original 
surveys made by the General Land Office or the Geological Survey, or both; 
and from reconnaissance, strip surveys, or cruisiugs made by the Forest Service 
in connection with the management of the Forests. 

The general ofBcial name for the data which, with corrections and additions, 
form the bases for Forest maps, is the Forest Atlas. This is described in the 
" Instructions for Making Forest Surveys and Maps." 

The Forest Atlas. 

The Forest Atlas at Washington is the central depository for maps, diagrams, 
statistics, and history of the National Forests and forestry in general through- 
out the world. Its most important division is that of maps, and the most 
imiwrtant maps are those of the National Forests. 

The Forest Atlas now comprises 190 volumes, containing sheets exactly 18 by 
21 inches. They are bound in loose-leaf holders in two ways : standard binders 
have the binding margin on the 21-inch side, while township binders have the 
binding margin on the 18-inch side. No map is made on a sheet less than 18 
by 21 Inches, and larger maps are made on two or more sheets, which are always 
numbered from west to east, beginning at the northwest comer. Borders are 
omitted. The title consists only of the name of the Forest or the number of the 
township. The top of the map is always north. A binding edge of at least 
IJ inches is always left blank on the west or left-hand side of each sheet. 

Scale. 

The stmidard scale of the Forest Atlas is 1 inch to 1 mile, and the National 
I'orests practically have been covered by atlas sheets according to this standard. 
Whenever, in special cases, a larger or smaller scale is necessary for the 
preparation of any map in the Forest Service, it must sustain the simple relation 
of X2 or -h2. Thus the scale may be 2 inches, 4 inches, or 8 inches to 1 mile; 
or i inch, J inch, or J inch to 1 mile. Under no circumstances will sheets be 
prepared for the Forest Atlas on the ratio of 3, 5, 7, etc. The scale of township 
plats is 2 inches to ] mile, because that scale was adopted by the General Land 
Oflice, from which the plats were procured 

The Atlas sheets which cover a National Forest are called a folio, and are 
assembleti, with a legend page, in a paper cover, on which is printed an index 
diagram showing the number of the sheets. 

Before any statement is issued by any branch or office it must be checked 
against any statements in the Atlas relating to the same subject, and the two 
must be made to agree. No sheets should be inserted in the Atlas which do not 
bear, under a given date, the tipproval by initial of the chief within whose field 
the data were collected. In Washington this .-ipplies to the chiefs of branch, and 
in the districts to chiefs of office. 

District Atlas. 

In the office of each District Forester is a District Atlas consisting of 20 or 
more volumes, containing duplicate sheets of the Forest Atlas covering the area 
of the district. Whenever Forest Atlas folios have been duplicated by photo- 
lithography or otherwise for a National Forest, the officers have been supplied 
with copies, but under no circumstances are copies of any Atlas folio to be 
sold or given away. They are strictly for the use of Forest officers in the 
administration of the National Forests. Copies for distribution are not 
published. 

Forest Supervisors are supplied by the property clerk with binders for Forest 
Atlas folios, having the binding margin on the 21-inch side, and also with 
binders for land-office township plats, having the binding margin on the 18- 
inch side. 

Corrections. 

The folios are the " mother maps " which furnish the bases from which further 
map making will proceed in the Forest Service. They correspond to the mother 
maps of other countries in this respect — that they are compiled from official 



54 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

diita upon a standard scale, 1 inch to 1 mile,^ and upon a uniform legend. They 
are not always sufficiently accurate for Forest work, and the sheets must, 
therfore, be corrected whenever new data have been obtained in the field. Tlie 
manner of correcting sheets is shown on the " Dummy Atlas Sheet," which 
has been issued to Forest officers. The method is that used by printers in cor- 
recting proof. Bold lines should be drawn to the margin of the sheet and 
explanatory notes written clearly. The marginal note is necessjiry both to ex- 
plain and to call attention to the correction, and if properly indicated on the 
sheet, letters or memorandums telling how it should be corrected will not be 
necessary. ' 

New Data. 

New data obtained by reconnaissance is usually mapped on a scale of 2 inches 
or 4 inches to 1 mile. Such data should not be redrawn to the standard Atlas 
scale in the field. The reconnaissance tracings should be sent to. Washington 
with a requisition, Form 9S!S, for photo-reduction. For this and other reasons 
reconnaissance tracings and other base maps should be drawn with black ink 
only, and should show only the drainage, contour, culture, and land lines. 
Other data, such as classification, forest or grazing types, or administration 
districts, can be shown by appropriate colors upon two or more prints. By 
this method the tracing remains a record which is subject to very little change, 
and is not obscured by data which are of special rather than general value. 
The first reconnaissance of any area should include the drainage and contour, 
otherwise it will not be possible to " register " a second or supplemental recon- 
naissance with it. 

General Maps. 

In accordance with the " Instructions for Making Forest Surveys and Maps," 
page 71, requests for the compilation and issuance of a Forest map should be 
submitted to the Forester. There should be no delay in making such requests. 
If a supervisor has not already been supplied with a satisfactory general map 
of his Forest, which can be used for administrative purposes, he should submit 
corrected Atlas sheets or other data, as provided in the instructions, and send 
them with his recommendatiou, through the District Forester, to the Forester. 
This recommendation should specify the kind of data which should be shown or 
omitted, the scale, and the number of copies required. On the majority of 
Forests the most satisfactory scale for a ycncral mop will be one-half inch to 
1 mile. If a larger or smaller scale is recommended the reasons should be given. 

These general maps, when issued, will serve as base maps upon which may be 
indicated, by the appropriate colors or symbols, the location of various activities 
and transactions on tlie Forests. They should, therefore, so far as practicable, 
show the laud-office surveys, drainage, prominent topographic features, and 
culture (works of man). The culture should include roads, trails, railroads, 
telephone lines, towns and settlements, and rangers' headquarters and summer 
camps. Other desirable data can be shown if within the limitations of the 
scale. Ordinarily, alienations can be shown best, where the scale is only one- 
half inch to the mile, by the use of color. If the supervisor requires too many 
of such maps to warrant their coloring by hand, the alienated areas can be 
printed, in a transparent tint, upon a portion of the edition, leaving the re- 
mainder as a permanent base map. 

If a Forest has already been furnished with a general map on the half-inch 
scale and a sufficient amount of corrections and additions have been subse- 
quently made to warrant the issuance of a revised edition, these corrections 
should be indicated upon a copy of the last edition, using red ink and follow- 
ing the method described in the " Instructions for Making Forest Surveys and 
Maps," and as shown on the " dummy " Atlas sheet. The same procedure should 
be followed in changing or correcting proclamation diagrams. Correction must 
be made on the map. Any reasons or exi)lanations may be written, in red, on 
the margin where the draftsmen and engravers will not fail to see them. 

Working-plan Maps. 

Accurate base maps on a large scale showing the topography and culture 
are absolutely essential for the proper and successful management of the tim- 



iThe mother maps of Great Britain and India are on the same scale as the Forest Atlas 
standard. Those of France, Spain, Italj-. Switzerland, and Sweden are nearly the same, 
IJ inches to the mile. Those of Bosnia, Herzegovina, Norway, Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, 
and Portugal are on smaller scales ; those of Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the 
Netherlands are on larger scales 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. ' 55 

bei- and forage, of special uses and settlement, and for the improvement and 
protection of the Forests. Such maps will be known as working-plan base 
maps. For these a scale of 4 inches to the .nile, or even a larger one. may be 
advisable. On the other hand, a smaller scale may be adopted on maps of large 
projects, such as fire and water-supply protection plans. The topography will 
be shown by means of contour lines, intervals between which will be 20, 50, or 
100 feet. 

Field Surveys. 

The field data necessary for the preparation of these maps will be taken from 
the Geological Survey sheets or the Atlas folios when such majjs are sufficiently 
accurate and from all field surveys by Forest officers. 

Such surveys will include examination of claims, and of applications for set- 
tlement, special uses and timber sales, and reconnaissance surveys for all pur- 
poses when tlie taking of topographic data is necessary. 

In order to insure the necessary degree of accuracy and completeness of the 
data obtained by such surveys, the District Forester will prepare instructions 
for standard methods of survey which must be followed by field officers unless 
specifically exempted by the. District Forester Such instructions will conform 
to the " Instructions for Making Forest Surveys and Maps " and will also con- 
tain, instructions governing the establishment of horizontal and vertical control 
(if the standard administrative map has been prepared), the methods of sur- 
vey, the topographic data to be collected, and its compilation. In the case of 
large reconnaissance projects on Forests for which the standard administra- 
tive map has not been prepared, or wherever there is any doubt as to the con- 
trol, specific instructions in regard to the control will first be obtained from 
the Forester. Data resulting from field surveys should not be allowed to ac- 
cumulate in the files, but should be posted as soon as collected on an original 
draft of the working-plan map. The field papers containing the data may then 
be marked " Posted " and filed. 

Reconnaissance Surveys. 

Great care must be exercised by the District Forester in approving projects 
for reconnaissance surveys of considerable areas in order that areas in need 
of such surveys are taken up in the order of their importance. The following 
order will be observed unless some special conditions prevent : 

(1) Large areas which are of value for agriculture and for which applica- 
tions under the act of June 11 have been received (Land Classification). 

(2) Immediately prospective timber sale areas (Timber Reconnaissance). 

(3) Areas which have a high fire liability and hazard and are without ade- 
quate maps (Protection Survey). 

(4) Areas subject to intensive use of forage (Grazing Reconnaissance). 

(5) Timber reconnaissance for the purpose of regulating the cut. 

A record of the areas covered by standard surveys should be kept by the 
supervisor on an administrative map. Annually the supervisor should forward 
to the District Forester a map of his Forest, showing the areas so covered to 
date, with a statement of the total area and that covered during the previous 
year. 

Special Maps. 

Special maps are issued for the use of Forest officers, to illustrate bulletins 
or circulars of the Forest Service, or as special publications for the dissemina- 
tion of information which can be best expressed graphically. Such maps are 
not for general distribution, though some are sold, and they may even be 
given away under certain circumstances. A general map of a National Forest 
may be given to a user when it is necessary or- convenient to show thereon the 
lands covered by a transaction. 

General maps of the United States, showing the National Forests and related 
projects and data, unmounted, are sold by the Superintendent of Documents, 
Washington, D. C, at 50 cents each. A limited number of copies are retained 
in the Forest Service and furnished in some cases to State officers. State insti- 
tutions, and libraries, where they will be accessible to the general public. 

General continental or regional maps, showing natural forest areas or the 
distribution of tree species are furnished to State institutions and to some 
first-class libraries. When more than. one copy of a general map is requested, 
as in the case of forest schools or agricultural colleges, a charge will be made 
for each extra copy. 



56 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Index maps, proclamation diagrams, and diagrammatic maps are treated as 
publications of the Department of Agriculture, and may be used to answer 
Inquiries which could not be answered satisfactorily in any other manner. 

In exceptional cases, as in return for services or courtesies i-endered, when 
a request is made that a map be given to an individual or to an institution not 
included in those listed, the reason for such a gift should be clearly stated 
in the request, and should be indorsed or initialed by a Forest officer before 
being forwarded to the Forester. 

Maps Issued by Other Departments. 

Proclamations creating or changing National Forests, with diagrams, are 
issued by the State Department. A limited supply for distribution is kept in 
the Washington office. 

Published quadrangles, showing topography, drainage, and cultivation, are 
issued by the Geological Survey. Only district foresters may write directly 
to the Survey for its publications, stating in each letter that the publications 
requested are strictly for official use. 

When advance topographic sheets are prepared in the Geological Survey for 
an area affecting any National Forest, 12 photographic or 40 lithographic copies 
are delivered to the Forester. One copy is placed in the Forest Atlas, at Wash- 
ington, and copies will be sent to the District Forester, and to the supervisor 
of the Forest affected. 

Township Plats. 

Township plats are prepared in the General Land Office. Some of them 
have been reproduced by photolithography, but the greater number are repro- 
duced by photography in the Office of Geography, the original plats being bor- 
rowed for that purpose, in accordance with a cooperative agreement between 
the Forester and the Commissioner. A wet-plate negative is made and three 
prints are taken from it, which, after being mounted, trimmed, and punched, 
in accordance with Atlas standards, are placed in the Forest Athis at Wash- 
ington, in the District Atlas, and in the office of the supervisor. The negative 
is then destroyed ; additional prints, therefore, can not be furnished, unless 
they have been specifically requested before the negative is made. Requests 
for township plats should always be sent to the Forester and should specify 
the date of the plat, as there are frequently several surveys and plats for a single 
township. 

State maps are issued by the General Land Office. Requests for them should 
be sent to the Forester. 

Charts are issued by the Coast and Geodetic Survey. Requests for them 
should be sent to the Forester. 

PHOTOGBAPHS. 

Photograph Laboratory, "Washington. 

The Office of Geography at Washington is equipped for all classes of photo- 
graphic work, including wet and dry plates, pictures and map prints, blue 
prints, Vandykes, enlarged transparencies and bromides, and lantern slides. 
In cooperation with the Geological Survey, it prepares and prints photomicro- 
graphs of wood sections. It prepares originals for illustrations, photographs 
and wash drawings for halftones, and line drawings for zinc etchings ; it makes 
transfers from map negatives to stone for lithographic proofs ; it mounts 
pictures and maps on cards or muslin. 

Requisitions for Photographic Work. 

Requisitions (Form 988) on the photographer at Washington for photo- 
graphs, maps, diagrams, or other graphic records needed for office use in con- 
nection with files and records, other than suiiervisors' albums or to accompany 
reports, may be initialed by the chief of any branch or office, in Washington or 
in the districts; and if not more than three prints of any one negative are in- 
volved supervisors may make requisition directly upon Washington. When 
correspondence of a purely routine character is necessary with regard to filling 
such requisitions, the Branch of Operation may correspond directly with 
supervisors, without sending copies of the correspondence to the district office. 

Supervisors may also requisition directly single copies of maps or diagrams 
to be placed on the walls of their offices. Requisitions for bromides or trans- 
parencies desired for instructive display, whether in offices of supervisors or in 
the district offices, will be initialed by the District Forester, as will all requisi- 



GENEEAL ADMINISTRATION AND PEOTECTION. 57 

tions for material desired for use iu connection witli addresses by members of 
Forest Service or iu connection witli Forest Service exliibits. 

Prints for Official and Personal Use. . 

Care must Ije taken to distinguisli between photographic material needed 
for official use and material desired by members of the Forest Service for 
their personal use. Photosraphic material for personal use will be supplied to 
members of the Forest Service only by sale. Photographs which are to be 
used for illustrating books or articles jirepared by members of the Forest 
Service as individuals should be regarded as for personal use, and the char- 
acter of this use should be clearly indicated by the requisition. When new 
photographs are developed, one set will be supplied for the use of the office 
if requisitioned by the chief of the office, such photographs to be regarded as 
Forest Service property. 

Photographic material may be requisitioned for outside distribution for the 
following purposes: 

(a) To cooi>erators and others from whom aid has been received or by whom 
courtesies have been extended in furtherance of official work. 

(&) For use in illustrating material to be published in newspapers or other 
periodicals. 

(c) For use in book illustrations. 

(d) For use in educational work — by lecturers and schools and for exhibit 
purposes. 

Requisitions for photographic material of any kind to be disposed of to 
cooperators and others who have extended aid or courtesies in the furtherance 
of official work must be initialed by a chief of office, in the districts or in 
Washington. Requisitions for photographic material to be given, loaned, or 
sold for use iu illustrating any book, article, or other printed matter, or for 
use in educational work by lecturers and schools or for exhibit purposes, must 
be initialed by the District Forester or by a chief of branch, and be approved 
by the editor. The editor has charge of all work designed to promote general 
education in forestry by the diffusion of information concerning forests and 
their best use, through the supply of information to newspapers and other 
periodicals, through the giving of addresses other than those before audiences 
of National Forest users with regard to National Forest work, or through 
exhibits in cooperation with schools other than technical schools of forestry. 
All requisitions for photographic or art work which will be used to promote 
general education in forestry must be approved by the editor. 

Lantern-Slide Collection. 

All exhibit and lantern-slide material owned by the Forest Service, whether 
in the districts, in Madison, or in Washington, will be considered a part of 
the Forest Service lantern-slide collection and the Forest Service supply of 
fexhibit matei"ial, and will be under the dli'ect jurisdiction of the editor, to whom 
will be made such periodical reports as may be called for. 

Sale of Prints. 

The act of March 4. 190Y, authorizes the disposal of photographic prints 
(including bromide enlargements), lantern slides, transparencies, blue prints, 
and forest maps at cost and 10 per cent additional. Decision as to whether 
or not material should be sold should be based on the same grounds as decision 
whether material should be loaned or given away. The ob.1ect in every case 
should be to promote the work of the Forest Service or to diffuse information 
concerning forestry as effectively as possible. Generally speaking, gifts should 
be restricted to cooperators or persons who have extended aid or courtesies in 
furtherance of official work ; but when a valuable educational result can be 
attained only if material can be furnished free, gifts may be made, in the dis- 
cretion of the editor. 

Use of Prints to be Stated in Requisition. 

The geographer will see, before initialing requisitions for photographic work, 
that the purpose for which the work is to be used is clearly indicated and 
that the requisition conforms to the above instructions. 

Schedule of Prices. 

When material is to be sold it will be according to the following schedule 
of prices : 



58 



THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS. 



Size. 


UBmounted. 


Mounted. 


4 by 5. . .each. . 
4Jby6J..do.... 
5by 7...do.... 
6iby8i..do.... 
8by 10'. .do.... 


$0.06 
.07 
.08 
.11 
.17 


$0.08 
.09 
.10 
.14 
.20 



SOLAR BROMIDE MAPS. 



Size of maps. 


Unmounted. 


Mounted on 
muslin. 


11 by 14. .each.. 
14 by 17.. do.... 
20by24..do.... 
28 by 34.. do.... 


$0.14 
.17 
.21 
.39 


$0.20 
.25 
.34 
.58 



Lantern slides each $0. 35 

Bromide enlargements per square lncb__ .003 

Bromide enlargements (sepia) do .004 

Transparencies do . 015 

Blue prints per square foot__ .04 

Vandyke prints do . 08 

Hand coloring will be done on lantern slides at 65 cents each, on bromides at 
] cent per square iucb, and on transparencies at 2 cents per square inch. 

Substitutes for Defective Prints Sold. 

When money is received in advance for photographic work from negatives 
which may be defective, it can not be returned, because it is deposited with 
the Treasurer of the United States and is not available for Forest work. Sub- 
stitutions of equal value can be made, however, from other negatives. 

Policy. 

The present purposes of the Forest Service in taking photographs are restricted 
to the following: 

(1) Temporary pictures, necessary to accompany manuscript reports or fur- 
nish evidence. 

(2) Progress pictures, where the changing conditions at any locality can be 
best shown by two or more photographs. (This does not mean that pictures 
should be taken to show the rise and fall of streams or the depth of snow when 
gauge readings and profiles are the best and most acceptable form of record.) 

(3) Special pictures, having unusual interest, which may be used as illus- 
trations in bulletins or other publications. 

(4) A'eto pictures, covering subjiicts not now in the Service collection. (This 
does not mean that every new permanent improvement must be photographed, 
unless it involved some extraordinary feature or difficulty of construction. The 
author should remember that some view which may be new to him may be 
quite commonplace in the Service at large.) 

The general policy in regard to permanent pictures for the collection is to 
obtain fewer but better and uevi'er pictures. 

IN THE FIELD. 

Cameras. 

Cameras are nonexpendable property and are issued by the property clerk 
at Ogden, Utah, on request (Form 668) approved by the District Forester. 
Cameras should be issued only to competent men, and be used only when neces- 
sary. When no longer needed they should be returned to the District Forester 
or to the property clerk. Unless there are special reasons to the contrary only 
one camera should be allowed to each Forest. 

Films. 

Films are nonexpendable property, purchased under contract, and are issued 
by the Forester on request (Form 988). Care should be used to indicate the 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 59 

exact size and make of the camera for which films are desired. If films are 
needed in an emergency for immediate use they may be purchased in the field. 
Films will be charged to the individual making the requisition or purchase, 
and will in no case be charged to an ofiice or Forest. When films are pur- 
chased in the field the individual making the purchase will include them in 
his expense account. He will be held responsible for their value if they are 
not used or turned in before the indicated date of expiration. Exposure of 
films will be for necessary ofRcial use only. Films of useless ;ind irrelevant 
subjects, or only of personal interest, will be rejected and returned to tlie 
author, who will be required to reimburse the Government and to pay the 
cost of the developing and printing from such films. 

Notebooks. 

Notebooks (Form 166) are expendable property and are issued by the 
Forester or District Forester on request or requisition (Form 988). The note- 
books must be used to record each exposure and show the luirpose for which 
it was made, and they must be forwarded in the same package with the cor- 
responding films to the Forester. Each author will number the record of 
each exposure inade by him, 1. 2, 3, etc., consecutively, as long as he remains* 
in the Forest Service. Alternate leaves in the notebook are detachable and 
the author may, therefore, make, detach, and retain carbon copies of the record 
of each exposure. It is absolutely necessary that the Forester receive the note- 
book with the exposed films in order to identify them properly. The permanent 
number will be placed upon the film and notebook by the photograiiher. 

Films Developed and Prints Made in the Field. 

Only when needed for inmiediate use may films be developed and prints made 
in the field. Ehen then this should be done, when possible, by a competent 
photographer under contract at district headquarters. As soon as the prints 
have been made the developed films and the corresponding notebooks will be 
forwarded to the Forester. In such cases the films must be correctly numbered 
with the temporally (author's) number to agree with the numbers in the note- 
book. These numbers must be written with lead pencil on the margin of the 
films in such a manner as not to injure them. Prints will be sent to the 
Forester. 

Notice of Purchase of Films. 

Authors will notify the Forester when films are purchased in the field, giving 
the date of purchase, the quantity, kind, and size of films, and the date to which 
they are guaranteed. 



Spoiled films may be destroyed by the photographer. 

When films are returned to Washington, with their corresponding notebooks, 
they are developed and the results are recorded on the prescribed form on the 
last page of the notebook. Prints are made from good negatives, which, if 
recommended by the photographic committee at Washington, are given a perma- 
nent number and placed in the Service collection. 

All photo-map work must conform to Forest Atlas standards and must not 
conflict with any of the Instructions for Making Forest Surveys and Maps, 
except for sufficient reasons, which must be clearly stated. 

PUBLICATIONS. 

PREPARATION OF OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. 

Selection of Subjects. 

Suggestions v)f subjects on which publications might advantageously be pre- 
pared are welcomed from all membei'S of the Forest Service. Such sugges- 
tions when made by members of the Forest force should be transmitted through 
the supervisor to the District Forester. If the subject relates to investigative 
wox'k or involves the compilation of data it will be referred to the district in- 
vestigative committee. If it relates to administrative work, and the suggestion 
is approved by the District Forester, authorization may be sought from the 
Forester for preparing the proposed publication. Copies of letters requesting 
such authorization should be sent to the other District Foresters. These letters 
should indicate the general character and scope of the publication proposed, by 



60 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

means of a brief provisional outline, and the name of the proposed author or 
authors. Authorization for preparing publications along scientific lines will 
be given through approval of the project as provided for in the chapter relating 
to the investigative committees. 

The practicability of assigning the preparation of publications to the persons 
first suggesting them will be carefully considered by the District Forester. 
First consideration, however, must in all cases be given to the man "who can do 
the work best, or who is most available for it. 

Preparation of Manuscripts. 

Authors should seek to put their publications or reports into the best pos- 
sible form, and to make them complete in every detail, including table of 
contents and list of illustrations, before submitting them. 

Publication Credits. 

A proper assignment of credits to different men whose work contributes to 
any publication is often diflicult. Many publications are prepai-ed by men who 
utilize data derived from studies and reports of other men. In some cases the 
final work may be merely the compiling of results which are in the files; in 
other cases the author will use these data as a basis for an elaborated study; 
in others again he will use data gathered by others to supplement his own 
original researches. There will also be ditBcnlt'es due to contributions of short 
or long passages covering points which need to be handled by some specialist, 
or in some branch other than the originating one; additions supplied by 
superior administrative officers, editors, and others; and criticisms so valuable 
as materially to raise the character of the publication. In short, many publica- 
tions will be a composite of the work of many men. 

The following is a statement of the general ])o]icy to be applied in the matter 
of credits : 

(1) Publications embody primarily the work of the Forest Service, not of 
individuals. The views expressed must have the approval of the Forester, in 
order to be published. Statements are generally accepted as resting on the 
authority of the Forest Service, not of the man whose name appears on the 
title-page. If the work is faulty, the Forest Service is held responsible. 

(2) Results which have been gathered by individuals belong not to the indi- 
vidual but to the Forest Service. No one has a right to demand that his 
results shall be used with reference to his personal glorification, if the best 
interests of the Forest Service call for their use without the giving of credit. 

(3) The Forester has a right to expect all members of the Service to con- 
tribute willingly and to any extent toward making any and all publications as 
good as possible, without expectation of personal credit, whenever the presenta- 
tion of the subject matter of the publication in the best form (i. e., in the 
form which will secure the best results) will be interfered with by the giving 
of such credit. 

(4) It is, however, desirable, from the standpoint of efliciency of publications 
as well as of fair treatment of those who prepare or contribute toward Service 
publications, that, within reasonable limits, credit should be given to each 
man for his own work. The giving of proper credits is a stimulus to good 
work ; and it is also an advantage to the Forest Service to increase the reputa- 
tion and scientific standing of its members. 

(5) Especially it is highly demoralizing to permit one man's reputation to 
be increased at the expense of that of another man who sees credit for important 
work given to some one else. 

(6) It is important that publications should, just as far as possible, appear 
as the work of an author or authors. This means that the principal credit 
must necessarily go to not more than two men. 

(7) The man who has actually put the most into the publication should have 
principal credit for it. This may or may not be the man whose field work 
furnished the data. When the digesting of raw material constitutes the prin- 
cipal scientific contribution to the publication, the man who does the digesting 
should have the principal credit. On the other hand, when one man merely puts 
into shape for publication material which has been thoroughly and satisfactorily 
woi'ked up by others, he is the editor or compiler, not the originator. In such 
cases he should at most not appear as niore than the junior partner in the work. 

(8) Administrative responsibility for work includes an obligation to see that 
the material prepared for publication is as well prepared as possible. Super- 
vision of work, though it may actually make suitable for publication the com- 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 61 

pleted report, does not entitle the one supervising the worli to assume credit as 
the author. 

(9) When a man undertakes a publication concerning work of which he has 
charge, the necessity of acknowledgments to those who have either assisted in 
gathering the data or contributed to the writing of the work under his direction 
is a matter of administrative judgment. It would be absurd for the chief of a 
field party conducting an investigation to feel it incumbent upon him to name 
all the members of the party and state what measurements had been taken by 
each; and tbe good of the Service often requires that one man should prepare 
matter for another man to use as though it were his own. On the other hand, 
the holding of a superior position does not entitle any one to take credit for 
another man's work. The deciding princijile nmst be the good of the Service, 
before which every personal consideration nmst give way. 

(10) When publications combine the original work of several different men, 
no one of whom can. in fairness to the others, be recognized as the principal 
contributor to the completed study, one of two courses may be followed : 

(n) If there is a compiler who has contributefl in an important degree to the 
working up of the final conclusions, he may be recognized as the author; but 
the first paragraph of the bulletin should be an apportionment of credit indi- 
cating what is, in the judgment of the administrative officer in immediate 
charge of the work, the relative share of credit which belongs to the compiler 
and to the various persons whose results are utilized. 

(6) If the compiler's share in the work is, in the judgment of the adminis- 
trative oflacer in charge, relatively subordinate, it is manifestly an injustice to 
the others concerned to permit the compiler's name to appear on the title-page 
without their own names. In such cases it would be better not to put any 
name on the title-page, but to apportion the credit in the opening paragraph 
of the publication. 

(11) Minor contributions, either in the form of footnotes or of short passages 
for insertion in the body of the text, consisting of discussions of technical 
points falling within the field of a branch or office other than that in which 
the publication originates, should generally be given freely without the expecta- 
tion of credit. The Service can not follow the same method which the author of 
an outside publication would in giving credit to every one who had rendered any 
assistance. Nevertheless in some cases acknowledgment for even a small con- 
tribution which is essentially original work may properly be made. It is 
believed impossible to lay down a hard tmd fast rule. Much will depend on 
the context. On the one hand, matter should be furnished cheerfully without 
stickling for acknowledgment. On the other hand, if the effectiveness of pre- 
sentation of the subject matter is not interfered with by the giving of credit, 
such credit may be given. 

(12) In general it is better for authors in preparing manuscripts to give too 
many credits than too few. The past usage has, on the whole, erred on the 
side of too little consideration of what might be done to acknowledge assistance 
received. The editing of publications will, however, include taking into con- 
sideration whether the acknowledgment n*ide by the author should stand. In 
case of the failure of the editor and the author or person given credit by the 
author to agree, after consultation with the chief of the originating branch, the 
point at issue may be laid before the Forester. 

To sum up: It is desirable to give credit for original work, in so far as this 
is possible without detracting from the value of the publication through minute 
or excessive acknowledgments or interruptions of the continuity of presentation. 

Review of Manuscripts. 

, Manuscripts intended for publication which originate in a district office will 
not be transmitted by the District Forester to the Forester until they have been 
carefully reviewed in the district office and are approved by the District Forester 
as complete and satisfactory. They should then be submitted to the Forester. 
If approved by the chief of branch, they will be submitted to the editor for final 
review. When submitted to the editor they must be accompanied by the neces- 
sary illustrations, tables, and diagrams, and must bear the initials of the chief 
of branch, as well as those of the District Forester (if they originated in a 
district office), the chief of office, and the author. Manuscripts will be taken 
up for review in the order in which they are received and registered. Chiefs 
of branch may at any time make changes in the order in which manuscripts 
originating in their respective branches shall be taken up, but only by direction 
of the Forester shall any manuscript of one branch be given precedence over 
that of another which was registered earlier. 



62 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Manuscripts will be reviewed by the editor botli for their technical accuracy 
and their literary form. When a manuscript has been edited it will be sub- 
mitted to the chief of branch concerned for his approval. In case of disagree- 
ment between the editor and chief of branch concerning the desirability of 
suggested changes the question as to whether the changes shall stand will be 
referred to the Forester for final decision. 

After a manuscript has been transmitted for publication by the Forester the 
responsibility of putting it through the press will rest solely upon the editor, 
who will deal directly with the Division of Publications. He will submit first 
proof to the chief of branch, who, if he thinks it desirable, will transmit the 
proof to the author. The editor, in revising proof, will make no change which 
involves technical questions without the approval of the chief of branch. 

DISTRIBTJTION OF PXTBLICATIONS. 

The following instructions with regard to the distribution of publications are 
supplementary to those given on page 33 of the section of the National Forest 
Manual relating to Forest plans under " Libraries." 

Departmental Special Order of December 8, 1908, reads in part as follows : 

The Division of Publications is charged with the mailing of all publica- 
tions, the chief of that division having been designated to have supervision 
of such distribution under the provisions of section 92 of the law of 
January 12, 1895, and that he is required to report thereon. Conse 
quently, when the chiefs of bureaus desire publications mailed out they 
must send orders therefor, leaving the actual mailing to be done in the 
document section of the Division of Publications ; and no mailing shall be 
done by the bureaus, divisions, and offices. The only exception to the 
above is when it is desired to send a marked copy referred to in a letter 
or to hand a copy to a visitor. 

Supplies of publications which are intended for distribution to the Forest 
foi'ce. and also of publications which supervisors should have for use in office 
interviews and in correspondence with the public, will be sent to supervisors 
directly from Washington, with notification from Washington to the District 
Foresters of the action taken. 

Each Field Program will list all publications issued during the preceding 
quarter. Requests for any of these ftublications. or for any other publications, 
either of the Forest Service or of any other bureau of the Department of Agri- 
culture, desired by any Forest officer for his individual use should be submitted 
to the forest supervisor and filled by him if he has an available supply. If he 
has not, the request should lie transmitted by the forest supervisor, with indi- 
cation of his approval, directly to the Forester, Publications thus requested, or 
a notification that they are not obtainable, will be sent directly from Washington 
to the officer who makes the original request. 

FCEIiP FKOGKAM. 

The Field Progi'ani is issued from Washington on the l.'ith day of January, 
April. July, and October. Material intendetl for the Field Program will be for- 
warded from district offices in time to reach Washington not later than the 
2d of the month of issue. 

A sufficient number of Field Programs, in envelopes, will be sent to each super- 
visor to supply all officers on his Forest. Immediately upon their receipt the 
supervisor will have the envelopes addressed and sent to officers on the Forest. 
Sufficient Field Programs, not in enveloiies, will be sent to District Foresters 
lor immediate distribution to district offices. Changes in the number to be 
sent any supervisor will be indicated by him to the Forester. 

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. 

Information for the Press. 

General Order 138 of the Department of Agriculture prescribes in part as 
follows : 

The publicity work of the department will, in every detail, be ap- 
proved by the chief of the bureau, office, or division interested, and be 
submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture before publication. 



f 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATIOISr AND PROTECTION. 63 

This order relates both to material prepared for distribution to a mailing list 
of newspapers and newspaper writers, and to articles ofRcially prepared for 
publication in a single newspaper. It does not prohibit district foresters and 
supervisors from furnishing information which may be sought by newspaper 
men for immediate use concerning Forest Service worl^ ; in other words, such 
information as would properly be furnished anyone asking for it is not to be 
refused newspaper men. Information should not be furnished concerning mat- 
ters pending before the Secretary or the Forester for decision or which might 
develop differences of a controversial nature between the Forest Service and any 
other bureau or department of the Government. 

It is desirable that all proper opportunities should be afforded the public to 
understand the work of the Service and the principles and application of for- 
estry. Controversy, self-advertisement, and partisan discussion of questions of 
policy must, however, always be avoided, as well as criticisms of any other 
bureau or department of the Government. Both district foresters and super- 
visors should be accessible to newspaper men and respond to legitimate demands 
for information, while exercising discretion and tactfulness in furnishing in- 
formation. 

Because of the necessity which often exists to furnish information in the dis- 
tricts regarding matters on which the public should be rightly informed without 
the delay which would be involved in submitting material to Washington for 
approval, the Secretary of Agriculture has authorized the district foresters to 
furnish statements for newspaper use when in their judgment delay would be 
detrimental to the interests of the Forest Service. 

Material for Technical and Other Periodical Publications. 

All articles written by members of the Forest Service as individuals for any 
periodical must be submitted to the Forester before they are offered for pub- 
lication. 

Addresses. 

General Order No. 135 of the Department of Agriculture provides as follows : 

Before incurring any expense, salary, or otherwise, in connection with 
attendance upon any conventions or meetings of associations of any kind, 
officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture must in each 
case obtain in advance specific authority from the Secretary. 

Subsequent to this order the Seci'etary of Agriculture granted authority to 
the district foresters to authorize informal addresses before local conmiercial 
clubs, granger societies, or other small or unadvertised meetings when the re- 
quest is received too late to permit application by letter to Washington. In the 
case of important meetings, conventions, and, in general, occasions which in- 
volve formal participation by the Forest Service or which invoh'e anything more 
than an incidental expenditure of time and money, a specific authorization of 
attendance must be obtained from the Secretary of Agriculture, through the 
Forester. 

The Secretary of Agriculture has also authorized the attendance of one rep- 
resentative of the Forest Service at meetings of Forest users when these do 
not constitute gatherings of an organization, and at meetings of stock associa- 
tions when attendance is for the purpose of transacting National Forest busi- 
ness, without securing special permission in advance. 

Letters requesting the authorization of the Secretary for attendance at meet- 
ings by members of the Service will be prepared and filed in the OfBce of the 
Editor, which will keep a record of addresses made at all meetings by members 
of the Forest Service, except meetings of Forest users and stock associations 
which Forest officers may attend for the purpose of transacting National Forest 
business. All persons making addresses other than those covered by the above 
exception will, immediately after the meeting, submit a report (Form .329) to 
the Forester, through the District Forester or chief of branch, stating the char- 
acter of the meeting, approximate attendance, the results believed to have been 
secured, and other matters of a similar nature. 

PROTECTION FROM FIRE. 
Need for Protection. 

Practically all of the resources of the National Forests are sub.i'ect to severe 
injury, or even to entire destruction, by fire. Besides the diect damage which 
fire may do to merchantable timber, to the forage crop, and to watershed cover, 



64 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

it may nullify all attempts at the practice of forest management, such as the 
regulation of cutting to insure a second crop of timber, the planting of denuded 
areas, and the restriction of grazing to assist regeneration. 

There is probably no other forest area where the danger of fire is greater 
than on the National Forests. This is due to their comparative inaccessibility, 
to climatic conditions, to the spar^eness of population, and to the constant use 
of fire in the daily life of the people and in the industries. 

The protection of the Forests from fire is, therefore, of paramount impor- 
tance, and the most careful and systematic study must be given to the problem 
of affording the greatest protection at the lowest cost. 

What Governs Protection. 

Fire protection involves a consideration of (1) the fire liability or the damage 
which may result; (2) the fire hazai'd or the degree to which the forest is 
subject to fire danger; (3) the difficulty and cost of prevention and control. 

METHODS OF FIRE PROTECTION. 

Measures for Protection. 

Measures for fire prevention and control may be grouped under four heads : 
(1) Those to lessen the fire liability; (2) those to reduce the fire hazard; 
(3) those to decrease the cost and difficulty of discovering and controlling 
fires; and (4) those to secure promptness and efficiency in actual fire fighting. 

Under the first head would bo included the disposal of valuable timber exposed 
to very great fire hazard ; under the second, the encouragement of grazing to 
remove inflammable undergrowth or to keep down grass and the removal of 
slash or brush piles; also the education of the public in the safe use or avoid- 
ance of fire, the enforcement of preventive laws and regulations, and the gen- 
eral surrounding of the use and occupancy of the Forests with proper safe- 
guards. The third classification should include the construction of complete 
systems of communication, transportation, lookouts, and firebreaks; the prepa- 
ration of accurate maps to show the conditions which affect the fire problem ; 
and the apportionment of equipment and supplies. The fourth classification 
covers agreements with other organizations or industries which would be 
involved in fire losses, to report and extinguish fires which they discover; also 
the employment or assignment of men for patrol duty and arrangements to 
secure Jabor, supplies, and equipment in anticipation of fire fighting. 

THE FIRE PLAN. 

To insure the adoption of every iiracticable means for protecting the forest 
property from fire, a systematic study of the conditions on every Forest is 
necessary. The complete fire plan resulting from this study is simply a descrip- 
tion of the fire liability and hazard and of every means which have been or 
may be taken to meet any emergency which may arise. The fire plan will be 
prepared by the supervisor and in the light of experience will be modified ind 
strengthened at the close of each fire season. 

It is impossible to prepare one standard plan which will meet the local con- 
ditions on all National Forests. Therefore the instructions which follow should 
serve only as a general guide to the supervisors, who should have the widest 
latitude in developing the details of the plan to meet their peculiar needs. 

Maximum Efficiency with. Minimum Expense. 

Xo supervisor should consider his fire plan complete until he has considered 
every possible means by which the fire liability and hazard and the cost and 
difficulty of suppression may be reduced, or until he has evolved a system 
which will, at the minimum expense, afford the maximum protection which the 
conditions demand. 

Collection of Information. 

Complete information is a prerequisite to the formulation of a perfect fire 
plan. This information will not be obtained imtil the entire Forest has been 
covered by intensive reconnaissance; and since it will be many years befoue this 
information will be fully available, the first draft of the fire plan must be 
prepared from such maps and data as are at hand. 

Maps. 

Of first importance is vt topographic map which shows accurately the cover 
and cultivation : means of communication and transportation ; location of settle- 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATIOX AND PROTECTION. 65 

ments, sources of supply for labor, equipincut, food, and forage; and location of 
camping grounds, lookout stations, and firebreaks. 

Special Protective Surveys. 

On those Forests which have an extremely high liability, and of which the 
existing maps are very inaccurate, the project of a protective survey should be 
considered. Such a survey should aim to produce merely an accurate topo- 
graphic map with a delineation of the types of cover and a rough estimate of 
the timber. Ordinarily a survey should not be undertaken for this purpose 
alone if its cost will exceed 1 cent per acre. 

Statistical Information. 

The fire-protection map should be supplemented by statistics by ranger dis- 
tricts, giving an appraisal of the liability, the degree of hazard, and the liability 
insurance (or the amount of money which may properly be expended for fire 
protection) based on the value of the property to be protected. 

THE FIRE LIABILITY. 

The amount of money which may properly be expended on protection nat- 
urally is determined by the amount of damage which fire may infiict, and this 
damage is. in turn, dependent on the character and value of * the forest cover. 
Therefore the fire liability of each type of forest should be determined as accu- 
rately as possible by means of a study of the results of previous fires. Damage 
may include the actual loss of merchantable or jiotentially merchantable timber; 
of forage; of protective value; or in the reduction of the productiveness of the 
land. Ordinarily, the liability should be expressed definitely in terms of money. 

Reduction of Liability. 

The study of the fire liability should include the determination of the location 
and amount of merchantable timber in burns, or in isolated bodies, which are 
so situated that successful protection is in-actically out of the question. The 
sale of such bodies of timber should be carefully considered. 

THE FIRE HAZARD. 

The fire hazard depends upon the inflammability of the forest cover and upon 
the degree to which it is subject to the chance of ignition. The hazard of dif- 
ferent types of forest can be measured only in terms of relative risk, such as 
high, moderate, and low. The determination of this risk will involve a study 
of the history of fires on the Forests, with particular reference to their causes 
and frequency and to the forest's inflammability. 

Reduction of Hazard. 

Measures to reduce the fire hazard will include the grazing of areas not now 
grazed, the removal of combustible material from camping sites and other 
areas of great hazard, the burning of slashings or old burns at safe seasons, 
the use of oil as fuel and of spark arresters on locomotives and other engines, 
and the adoption of silvical methods which will help to keep the forest free 
of combustible material. 

PREVENTION AND CONTROIj. 

The methods and the cost and difficulty of extinguishing a fire varies not only 
with the type of cover, but with the kind of fire. Thus in regions where fires 
are easy to extinguish and do but little damage there will be required protective 
measures which will differ from those for forests which are subject to complete 
destruction and in which fires are extremely diflicult to control. A careful 
study must therefore be made of the relative cost and difficulties of fire control 
in the different types of forest. 

Transportation and Communication. 

The costs and difficulties of jirevention and control will depend also upon 
means of transportation and counnunication. An adequate system of roads and 
trails and means of communication Ijetween lookouts, patrol stations, and the 
headquarters of rangers and the supervisor is of utmost importance. 

These subjects are treated in detail in the Improvement section of the Manual. 

Firebreaks. 

Firebreaks greatly reduce the hazard and the cost of prevention and con- 
trol. Their absolute value is not as yet wholly determined for the United 

50590° -12 5 



66 THE NATIONAL FOEEST MANUAL. 

States, but they are widely used in European forests. It is evident that a 
most careful iuvestisation must be made to determine what their character 
should be and wliat is tlieir utility in proportion to their cost. 

Classes of Firebreaks. 

In general, firebreaks fall into tliree divisions: First, topographic; second, 
isolating; and third, divisional. Tlie topographic are those on ridges, along 
contour lines, at tlie base of slopes, and along streams. Nearly always they 
serve also as means of travel and become part of a permanent system of roads 
and trails. There is no question as to the utility of this type. Isolating lire- 
breaks take advantage of the difference in liability and hazard of the forest 
cover and aim to segi'egate certain areas. Divisonal firebreaks are constructed 
more or less arbitraril,y through large areas of similar cover and regular topog- 
raphy. Their iiurpose is merely to subdivide the area and afford smaller units 
within which the fire may be restricted. 

Character of Firebreaks. 

Firebreaks may differ also in character. In many cases mere trails or plow- 
furrows are sufficient, as in open yellow pine foi*ests. Again, the removal of 
combustible material from a strip 5 to 10 feet wide and brush for a farther 
distance up to 50 feet on each side may be necessary. Sometimes also the 
felling of dead trees for a distance of from 100 to 300 feet on each side of the 
cleared strip will help to reduce the hazard and to insure the success of meas- 
ures of control. 

Maps. 

Maps are required in the preparation of a firebreak system. They should 
'show types of cover, lines of travel, and the location of natural fire barriers, 
such as water, landslides, glades, meadows, lieavily grazed or barren areas, 
and cliffs, together with the proposed system of firebreaks. 

Construction. 

The construction of firebreaks will be handled in the same manner as other 
improvement pro.iects. In recommending a firebreak a detailed report should 
be made showing cost, character, and utility not only for fire control, but as a 
means of travel. The estimates of cost should include expense of maintenance. 

Lookout System, 

liOokout points are of great value in discovering and locating fires, and on 
those Forests on which an extensive system of protection is to be adopted a 
complete system of lookouts is essential. Their establishment will depend on 
careful selection in the field and the preparation of a map which shows the area 
which can be controlled from each. Three kinds of lookouts should be distin- 
guislied — route, special, and main. Route lookouts are those from which a 
view over considerable territory can be obtained without leaving regular lines 
of travel. Special lookouts are those not on regular routes of travel, but which 
afford such a good view that their occasional use warrants their improvement. 
Main lookouts are those from which an exceptionally large territory can be 
seen and where it might pay to keep a permanent lookout. 

Prevention. 

Since the best way to stop fires is to prevent them, a fire plan must include 
a careful study of prevention methods. The development of a strong public 
sentiment against fires is of first importance. This may be fostered by public 
meetings, by the distribution of pamphlets, by news items in local papers, by 
explanations of fire policy to forest users and campers, and by instruction in the 
schools. The forest supervisor should issue detailed directions for the post- 
ing of fire warnings and other notices provided by the property clerk, and 
should adopt measures to pre^■ent and detect incendiarism, and to insure the 
enforcement of State and Federal laws in regard to the use of fire by campers 
«nd ranchers and by those in charge of logging and railroad engines. 

Cooperation. 

Efforts should be made to arrange definite cooperation with timber owners 
or associations of timber owners, vrith States, with dejiartmenls of the Federal 
Government, and with railroads and other industrial concerns that may either 
suffer from fire or constitute a source of fire danger. When the need of coop- 
eration is evident the facts should be fully investigated and reported to the 
District Forester, by whom the agreement will be prepared. All formal agree- 
ment: must be forwarded to the Forester ( Iteg. G. A. 7), 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 67 

Protective Stipulations. 

The use of Forest resotirces should be surrounded with all reasonable pre- 
cautions against fire. All applications for timber, grazing, and special use 
should be scrutinized with this iioint in view; necessary stipulations against 
the setting of tires should be inserted in all contracts or permits. 

No opportunity should be lost in getting the cooperation of i)ermittees to 
assist the regular force in preventing, reporting, ard supiiressing fires. As far 
as payment for labor is concerned, the general policy to be followed in such 
cases Is to pay permittees for services rendered in connection with fires which 
do not arise from their carelessness or from the use grantetl by the terms of 
their permit or contract. When, however, fires will seriously affect or perma- 
nently ])revent the enjoyment of the use grai.tod the jiermittees. they may rea- 
sonably be expected to furnish a certain amount of assistance free of charge; 
and the supervisors will take this fact into consideration in deciding the extent 
to which the permittees should be paid for services rendered in fire fighting. 

Equipment. 

Every Forest officer should know the amount and location of all fire-fighting 
equipment; implements, camp outfits at each station, tool houses and boxes on 
the Forest. To be sure of this there should be an annual inventory; if the 
inventory shows an insufficient supply of fire-fighting equipment, the deficiency 
should be made good at once. 

Transportation and Supplies. 

In addition to the inventory there should be lists of ranchers, liverymen, 
garages, and logging camps from which equipment and means of transportation 
can be obtained, and one of ranches and stores from which provisions, hay, 
and grain can be obtained promptly. Wherever possible definite estimates 
should be secured and tentative arrangements made before the fire season 
begins for such transportation and supplies as might be needed in case of 
fire. When such provision can not be made the purchase of pack trains, 
(eams. and wagons or auto trucks should be considered. Permission for such 
purchases must be obtained from the District P'orester. 

Toremen. 

To be forehanded the whole country in the vicinity of the Forests should be 
•canvassed for experienced men who are capable of handling fire-fighting crews. 
AVhen such men are found, terms of employment should be agreed upon and 
definite instructions given for action in case of fire. 

Labor for Fighting Fire. 

Forest officers will secure the addi'esses and telei)hone numbers of ranches, 
logging camps, mills, and power plants, from which labor may be obtained, and 
the amount and character of such labor ; also, if possible, terms of employment 
should be arranged for in ad\ance. 

Xocation and Addresses of Forest Officers and Fire Wardens. 

There should also be a list of the names, location, post-office addresses, and 
telephone numbers of all officers on the Forest and on adjoining Forests, the 
names of State and county fire wardens, of TTnited States commissioners and 
road supervisors, and of officers of private fire associations. 

Slash Burning. 

It should be ascertained beforehand what ranchmen and loggers expect to 
Inirn slashings during the season, and, if possible, protective plans should be 
arranged. 

Fire Fighting. 

In fire fighting three kinds of fires may be distinguished: (1) Those which 
can be attacked directly — that is, smothered oi- beaten out: (2) those which 
can be attacked only by indirect methods, such as firebreaks, back firing, and 
the use of water or chemicals: and (3) those whose size, swiftness, and inten- 
sity render an attack wholly impracticable. In the last instance the things 
to be done are to determine the probable course and development of the fire, 
and then to take advantage of any lull which is likely to follow when the fire 
meets less combustible material, topographic barriers, wind changes, or rain. 

Detailed Instructions. 

Detailed instructions will have to be prepared by supervisors for each type 
of forest. These instructions should take Into consideration, besides the in- 



68 THE NATIONAL FOKEST MANUAL. 

flaiumability of the cover, the topography, atmospheric conditions, labor and 
its pay, tools and equipment, subsistence, transportation, and con)municatiou. 

Organization. 

If a Forest is not liable to heavy damage from fire, and there is but little 
difficulty and low cost in fire protection, tlie regular Forest force can be de- 
pended upon to prevent and discover fires. However, provision should be made 
in advance for sui»p]ementing the regular force by outside labor, and for sup- 
jilies and transportation in anticipation of possible fires beyond the control of 
the regular force. Forests which are liable to almost complete dstruction, and 
in wliich fires are extremely difficult to extinguish, need more intensive han- 
dling. This generally means not only the preparation for extra help, but the 
actual employment of special patrolmen for limited areas, the aim being to 
prevent fires and to discover and extinguish them at their inception. 

Season of Low Hazard. 

On all but a few Forests the regular force can handle the fire situation, ex- 
cept during the summer months. Except in tliis suuuner season, therefore, pre- 
cautions for fire ])revention and control involves only measures to insure the 
availability of equipment, labor, and supplies required for fire fighting, should 
a fire occur. 

Season of High. Hazard. 

In summer, when the situation can not be handled by the regular force, 
oven witli the cooperation of local residents and industries, additional assistance 
is necessary. Extra men will be supervised by the regular force, except pos- 
sibly when they are specially experienced in firework. The supervisor will 
determine the number and assignments of the extra force. The period of em- 
ployment, and cost in wages and expenses, and other details will be given in 
the fire plan, and the routes or stations of the extra men will be shown on the 
accompanying map. 

Supervision and Direction. 

The district ranger will, if necessary, call on reconnaissance or improvement 
crews, and any officers engaged in field work in his district, to assist in emer- 
gencies in patrol work and in fire fighting. 

Assistants to District Ranger. 

Careful consideration should be giA-en to the need of furnishing rangers, in 
charge of districts which have high liability and hazard, with men specially 
qualified in fire work. 

Patrolmen. 

As far as possible local residents should constitute a regular part of the 
patrol force. They may be employed as per diem guards or laborers; by this 
arrangement they will receive pay for services actually performed, or they 
may be employed as guards at salaries commensurate with the value of their 
services. When there is need, and where sufficiently effective patrol can not 
be ontained by such m^ans, the employment of guards and laborers who will 
give all their time to patrol must be resorted to. 

Instructions as to Duties. 

When a patrolman or lookout man is place<l on duty he should be furnished 
with complete information as to the district to which he is assigned, including 
a map showing the topography, routes of travel and communication, and other 
necessary data. He must be instructed in detail as to his duties. If the patrol- 
man is not already familiar with the country, he should be assigned to duty 
sufficiently in advance of the danger season to enable him to become familiar 
with his district. 

Control. 

The district ranger will insure compliance with his instructions by personal 
inspection or by keeping in touch with the patrolmen by means of telephone. 
If, because of weather conditions, the fix"e danger becomes small, the district 
ranger will require the patrolman to engage on improvements and other work, 
which should be planned in advance. 

Action on Discovery of Pires. 

The first duty of the Forest officer discovering a fire is to determine its loca- 
tion and extent, its possible spread, and the amount of work required to extin- 
guish it. An officer should be sufficiently familiar with conditions to determine. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 69 

even when be discovers a fire at a distance or when one is reported to him, 
what measures will probably be necessary to extinguish it. If there is a good 
chance that he can put out the fire alone, he should exert every effort to do so. 
If, however; it seems proliable that he will be unable to extinguish it liy his indi- 
vidual efforts, he should, if possible, decide at once on the number of men needed, 
select a good camping site, and then get immediate help, reporting the facts 
to the proper officer. 

Fire Fighting. 

The collection of men and supplies, their transportation to the fire, the estab- 
lishment of camp, the arrangements for tlie preparation and distribution of 
food and drinking water, the organization of the crews, the attack on the fire, 
the timekeeping and the payment of the men, and precautions to prevent inju- 
ries should follow specific instructions given in the fire plan. 

Reports. 

The officer in charge of a fire should submit promptly a report of the fire on 
Form 874-6. For severe fires a special detailed report and map should be made. 
In reporting fires the following classes should be distinguished: («) Small 
fires which burn not more than one-fourth acre; (b) fires which burn over 
more than one-fourth acre but not more than 10 acres; (c) fires which burn' 
over more than 10 acres. This last class should be subdivided further: (c-l) 
Fires that infiict damage amounting to less than $iOO; (c-2) fires that do more 
than $100 worth of damage but less than $1,000; (c-S) fires that inflict dam- 
age to an amount greater than $1,000. 

The supervisor's annual fire report, uiwn which the District Forester's report 
is based, is made on Form 926, which contains full instructions for its proper 
preparation. 

PROTECTION OF WATER SUPPLY. 

Importance of Protection. 

Undoubtedly the greatest value of the mountain ranges of the West, most of 
which are within National Forests, lies in their influence upon the regularity 
of the water supply. In many of the States the mountains afford the only 
water supply for domestic use, for irrigation, and for the development of 
power. The future development of the entire region, therefore, will depend 
upon the amount of water and the manner in which it flows from the moun- 
tains. 

Climatic conditions and geologic and physiographic formations are undoubt- 
edly the principal factors 'O'liich govern the precipitatinu and run-off, yet it 
has been proved that the vegetative covering has a very decided influence on 
nui-off and probably a slight influence on precipitation. For this reason Con- 
gress made the preservation of conditions favorable to streamllows one of the 
principal ob.1ects to be sought in the establishment and administration of the 
National Forests. 

Use of Forest Resources When Not Injurious to Protective Cover. 

The preservation of the vegetative cover or its restoration, where it has 
been desti'oyed, will undoubtedly insure the conditions most favorable to an 
equable streamflow. Experience has shown that the value of the protective 
cover can be preser\ed by judicial use of both the timber and forage on the 
watersheds. The policy of the Service is, tlierefore, not to deny the use of 
any resource of the National Forests, except when it can be conclusively 
proved that such use will be injurious to the public interests. 

Water Protection Plan. 

In order to follow a definite and consistent policy with respect to the restric- 
tion of the use of the Forest resources for the purpose of protecting the water 
supplies, complete information must be collected as to the sources, the amount 
and use of water arising in the National Forests, the present condition of the 
vegetative cover on the watersheds as to its influence on run-off, and the 
special measures necessnry to maintain the protective value of the cover. 
This information will be presented in the form of a definite water protection 
plan. This will include an administrative map and a report. 

Map. 

The administrative map will show the watersheds that supply water for 
municipal and domestic use. for irrigation, and for the development of hydro- 
electric power. It will include the location of ditches, canals, flumes, dams, 



70 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

power jilanls, and other works; also the streams subiect to disastrous floods 
and the settlements, mines, railroads, or other works in need of protection 
from snowslides. 

Report. 

The report w'll accompany the map of each important watershed and will 
cover the amount of water, the pnri>ose for and extent to which it is used at 
the present time, the probaljle future use, the condition of the cover, and the 
special protective measures which are at present in force, with definite recom-* 
mendations of measures which will be needed to meet future demands. Spe- 
cial protective mensui-es include restriction of grazing, special uses, and settle- 
ment; possible modifications of lumbering, reforestation and range improvement, 
the apiiointment of extra patrolmen, and the construction of works for the 
prevention of fires, floods, snowslides, and the contamination of the water. 
The losses of revenue dne to restricted uses and to the cost of extra men and 
works should be calculated. 

The District Forester will forward a summary of the report to the Forester, 
together with his recommendations. The plan should be revised annually by the 
supervisor. 

> PROCEDTJBE. 

Stipulations in Permits and Contracts. 

It shall be the duty of every Forest officer before granting a permit for any 
use of the National Forests to consider its effect on the water supply, and when 
necessary to incorporate in the jiermit or contract stipulations which will 
afford protection from possible injury. 

Cooperative Agreements. 

To insure the siniiciency and imrity of the water supply of a municipality 
or of an irrigation district, or to lu-event floods and snowslides, the use of 
watersheds for grazing, timber, special uses, or settlement will be specially 
restricted by the Secretary when such restriction is necessary (Reg. G. A. 8). 
.\l)plications for such restrictions should be made to the forest supervisor by 
city authorities or by petition of associations or interested citizens. The 
supervisor will submit a complete rei>ort upon the application, paying par- 
ticular attention to the iieod and reasonableness of the restrictive measures 
requested, and the eflect which the proposed restrictions will have upon 
established industries. The loss of revenue which will result from the restric- 
tions should also be reported. 

If the applicants do not desire a specific agreement, the District Forester 
may, if he considers the restrictions justifiable, issue the necessary instructions 
to the supervisoi-. If, however, the District Forester considers the proposed 
restrictions unjustifiable, he will forward the papers to the Forester, with a 
full report of his reasons for not granting the request. 

When the applicants desire a definite agreement the District Forester will 
forward all papers and his report to the Forester. All agreements for restric- 
tion in the use of Forest resources to protect water supfilies will bs signed by 
the Secretary. 

If special protective measures, such as the construction of fences, firebreaks, 
or other works, or the appointment of additional patrolmen, will be required, 
a stipulation should be inserted in the agreement defining the assistance to be 
given by the parties benefiting from the restriction of use. 

The agieements should be prepared in quadruplicate, in accordance with the 
accompanying sami)le form. After execution by the Secretary and the proper 
representative of the applicants the original will be filed in the Washington 
office, and one copy each will be furnished to- the applicants, the District 
J'orester, and the supervisor. 

Form of Agreement. 

united states department of agriculture. 

office of the secretary. 

Cooperative Agreement for the Purpose of Conserving and Protecting the 
Water Supply of 

This Agreement, made and entered into this day of . one thou- 
sand nine hundred and , by and between , of 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 71 

, State of , through , 

its mayor,^ and the United States Department of Agricultuke, through 

, Secretary of Agriculture, Witnesseth that — 

Whereas, The following described lauds 



I 



comprising acres, more or less, within the boundarii's of the 

National Forest, form a part of the watershed from which the 

water supply of the said city is obtained. 

Now, Therefoke, for the purpose of conserving and protecting the water sup- 
ply of the said city the Secretary of Agriculture agrees : 

First. That the use of said lands will not be permitted without the ap])roval 
of the proper city authorities, except for the following purposes, to wit : 
Measures necessary for the proper protection and care of the Forests; the 
marking, cutting, and disposition of such timber as, in the judgment of the 
Forest ofticers, may be removed without injury to the water supply of said 
city ; for the construction of roads, trails, telephone lines, and other means of 
transportation and communication not inconsistent with the object of this 
agreement ; and for rights of way acquired under .icts of Congress. 

Second. That all persons employed on or occupying any of these lands for 
any purpose will be required to comply with the regulations governing National 
Forests, and to observe such sanitary regulations as may be proposed by the 
said city and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Third. That, so far as practicable with the means at his disposal, the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture will extend and improve the forests upon these lands by 
seeding and planting and by the most approved methods of silviculture and 
forest management. 

And the for the City of 

Agrees : That the said city will cooperate with the Forest Service in patroling 
the above-described lands for tlie enforcement of the regulations and the pre- 
vention and supression of forest fires; and that the additional guards rendered 
necessary by this agi'eement' shall be appointe<l by and be directly responsible 

to the supervisor of the National Forest, but their 

compensation will be paid by the said city. 

The undersigyed agree to the above propositions and agree to carry them out 
as far as they have official power and authority to do so. 

City of , 

By 

iMuijor.) 

Attest : 



{Viti/ Clerk.) 
"Witness : 



Secretary of Agriculture. 

Instructions to Carry Out Terms of Agreements. 

When restrictive measures hn\e been agreed \^^on between the Forest Service 
and municipalities or other applicants, the District Forester will is.sue definite 
instructions to the supervisor in regard to the manner in which the restrictive 
or protective measures will be put into effect. Record of restrictive measures 
should be kept on a map in both the District Forester's and the supervisor's 
offices. 

PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 

Every precaution must be taken by Forest officers to protecl the public health. 
Regulation T^-D provides that all persons on National Forest lands shall be 
liable to trespass proceedings if insanitaiy conditions result from their presence, 
and it is the duty of Forest officers to themselves conform to the provisions of 
this regulation and to enforce compliance with it by all campers, stockmen, 
permittees, and other persons traveling through or occupying National Forest 
lands. 

All camp i-efnse and debris must be disposed of by burying or burning, and 
in large or permanent camps disinfectants should be used. The carcasses of 
all dead animals, when they are a menace to the public health, should be im- 
mediately burned or buried. (See Regulation G-25.) 



1 Resolutions of city council or soverninj? authority of the city authorizing the signing 
of this agreement by the mayor should accompany the agreement. 



72 THE XATIONAL FOEEST MANUAL. 

The supervisor should see that the notice warning the public of this regula- 
tion is posted at the entrances to the Forests and at all camping grounds and 
at other suitable places. 

When a Forest officer discovers insanitary conditions he will first request the 
trespasser to comply with the regulation, and if the trespasser refuses will 
take the necessary action to remove the nuisance and then follow the usual 
procedure for trespass cases. 

FOREST PRODUCTS. 

OBGANIZATION. 

The aim of the Branch of Products is to promote the economical production 
and use of all forms of forest products. The work consists of investigations of 
physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of various species of wood, of 
conditions affecting these properties and the use of the woods in various indus- 
tries, and of fundamental principles underlying various processes and methods 
of utilization. It includes also statistical studies relating to the production, 
value, and uses of various woods. 

The work is centered at the Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis. The 
direction of the laboratory is the administrative head of the branch and is 
responsible to the Forester for the technical methods used in all work and for 
the executive supervision of work conducted outside of the National Forest 
districts. Other offices of products are maintained in Districts 2, 5, and 6, and 
in Washington, D. C. When products work is required in District 1 or in 
Districts 3 and 4, the Di.«trict Forester concerned will take the matter up with 
the director of the Forest Products Laboratory, who, upon aitproval of the 
proposed work, will make the necessary arrangements. In cases where a man 
is detailed for work in any of these districts he will reix)rt directly to the 
District Forester. All correspondence from the districts will be addressed to 
the director. 

CKAEACTER OF ^WORK. 

Work conducted by the branch is along the following general lines : 
Mechanical and Physical Properties and Structure of Woods. 

Mechanical j/roperticf(. — The tests of mechanical properties are primarily for 
the purpose of accumulating reliable information on the strength of various 
species and forms of timber. The results are of value to engineers, manufac- 
turers, and other users of wood in en;;l)ling them to employ the various species 
and forms most advantageously, and frequently to substitute less well-known 
species for those which have been commonly used but are' becoming scarce. 

The work covers tests on small specimens to determine the properties of the 
clear wood, tests on structural sizes containing the defects ordinarily found in 
such timbers, te.sts on manufactured articles, and tests to determine the effect 
of preservatives, preservative treatments, 'and other commercial processes on 
the strength of woods. 

Physical properties. — A knowledge of the physical properties of wood in gen- 
eral and of the various species individually is essential to the most efficient 
utilization of the material. Not only is such knowledge of importance in con- 
nection with the studies of structural and mechanical properties, but it is 
especially necessary for successfully conducting the investigations relating to 
wood preservation and other wood-using industries. The investigations cover 
studies of the fundamental physical properties, such as thermal proi:)erties, 
penetrability to liquids and gases, hydroscopicity and density; they include 
also experiments in air-seasoning, kiln-drying, and transformation of wood. 

Relation of structure to properties. — The microscopic structure of wood is 
very closely related to Its physical and mechanical properties and uses. A de- 
tailed study of the structure of various commercial species will be made, the 
results of which will be valuable in indicating the uses to which the species 
are best adapted, and will assist in the detei-minatiou of other properties and 
of the behavior of the woods under various treatments. 

WOOD PRESERVATION. 

The study of wood preservation deals with the protection or i)reservation of 
wood from decay, fire, insects, and other destructive agencies. Of these, decay 



GENERAL ADMHsTISTRATIOK AND PROTECTION. 73 

is the most important and is the one with which the investigations are mostly 
oonceriKHl. Tlie work covei's investigations of ])reservatives used, of process-es 
for injecting the preservatives, and of the suitability of various species for 
treatment. It consists of laboratory experiments, of cooperative field work, and 
of tests of various forms and species of wood treated by different preservatives 
under actual conditions of service. 

DERIVED PRODUCTS. 

Besides the investigations which deal with wood as such, investigations are 
made of products otlier than wood derived from wood, bark, and leaves, and 
from the living tree. The purpose of the work is to increase the efficiency of 
the processes employed, to increase the yield of valuable products, and to dis- 
cover means of producing new products. Such investigations make possible the 
utilization of parts of the tree now wasted and of s])ecies for which there is 
now little demand. The field covers tlie following Hues of work: 

Pulp and paper. — This work includes the study of the suitability of different 
species of wood for the production of paper pulp and the determination of the 
effect of the various fundamental processes on the quality and quantity of pulp 
produced. It covers the pi'oduction of pulp by both mechanical and chemical 
means. 

Wood distillation.. — The investigations consist of (1) a study of new species; 
(2) of the development of more efficient methods of producing and refining the 
products secured; (3) the determintaion of tlie properties and uses of the 
products not readily marketable at present. Investigations are conducted both 
with hard woods and resinous woods. 

Naval stoi-es. — The object of this work is to determine the suitability of 
species other than the southern pines for the production of turpentine and 
rosin and to study methods of improving turpentine operations which will re- 
sult in an increased yield of the valuable products and conserve the available 
supjily of timber. 

Other products derived from wood. — The field of work covers the production 
of tannins, ethyl alcohol, gas, and all other valuable products which may be 
obtained from wood or wood waste as the principal raw material. 

STATISTICAL STUDIES. 

The statistical studies deal with the extent of production and utilization 
of forest products, the occurrence and reduction of waste, and the increase of 
efficiency in the utilization of wood in the manufacture of various products. 
The field includes the collection in cooperation with the Bureau of the Census 
of statistics showing the annual production of the major forest products and 
the collection of statistics of quantity and kind of wood consumed by the various 
wood-using industries, the average prices of lumber f. o. b. mills and markets 
at representative points throughout the country, and of miscellaneous studies, 
such as the quantity of preservatives annually consumed for wood preservation. 

SCOPE OF -WOKK. 

The work outlined above necessarily covers two distinct fields: (1) Funda- 
mental investigations, and (2) commercial application of principles determined 
by the investigations. The investigations are conducted primarily at the Forest 
Products L;iboratory and at other stations which are provided with facilities 
for conducting experimental work. The study of commercial application is 
conducted in localities which may be most suitable for the specific problems 
under investigation. 

In the study of the properties of wood, the selection of the species, form, 
and condition of materia 1 for investigation is the important consideration. 
The work will be confined mainly (1) to siiecies at present used extensively in 
this country, and for which further knowledge of their properties, uses, and 
suitability for various uses is needed; (2) to species not at present used ex- 
tensively in this country, but of which there is a sufficient supply to render 
them of commercial importance; (3) to various forms of waste which occur 
in sufficient quantity to be of commercial importance. 

In the study of processes and methods, the selection of the processes and the 
fundamental features in their operation is the important consideration. The 
work should be confined mainly to (1) processes at present established and 



74 THE NATIONAL FOKEST MANUAL. 

used in the production of products of wide commercial importance, but whose 
efficiency may be increased by a more scientific Icnowledge of the fundamental 
principles involved in their operation; and (2) new or proposed processes which 
promise to increase the efficiency of production or of utilization of certain 
valuable materials. 

In the statistical work, the needs of the other activities of the branch and 
of the entire Service will be kept constantly in view. In addition to those 
statistical studies which are conducted periodically at regular intervals, others 
will be undertaken from time to time as the needs of the wood-producing and 
wood-consuming industries or the other activities of the Forest Service may 
require. 

COOPEEATION "WTTH COMPANIES, ORGANTZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAXS OUTSIDE OF 

THE FOREST SERVICE. 

In all of the work it should be the general rule to secure to as large an 
extent as is practicable the cooperation of the wood-using interests most di- 
rectly coucerne<l with the solutions of the problems. The exact terms of co- 
operatioa and desirability of undertaking such cooperation will be determined 
for each specific case in accordance with the following general policy : 

(1) Whenever in-acticable, airangements will be made with those especially 
interested in the investigation to be undertaken to furnish all or part of the 
material necessary for the work. 

(2) Investigations of patented or proprietary processes, materials, or lu-ticles 
will be undertaken only when the results of the investigations are needed by 
the Service or will be of general ])ublic benefit. Such work will not be under- 
taken solely for the benefit of the individual or comi^any interested. If under- 
taken, it is immaterial whether the company or individual is a cooperator 
to the work, but the arrangements should be such that the Service obtains 
the best conditions for making the investigation. In no case will a charge 
be made by the Service for the work, but the individual or company interested 
may furnish free of charge the materials or facilities for making the examina- 
tion. In publishing the results of such investigations, the name of the process, 
material, or article tested should, when used, be preceded by a qualifying 
clause, such as " preservative sold as." 

(3) The design, construction, and operation of commercial plants in wood 
lireservation, wood distillation, kiln-drying, or similar work may be undertaken, 
provided the plant is to be used, at least for a time, for experimental work 
for the inu'pose of gaining information of which the Service is in need. If 
the Service would gain no new information from the operation of such a plant, 
its design, construction, and operation should not be undertaken, but all assist- 
ance and available information, including the designs and specifications for 
standard plants which may have been prepared, should be made accessible to 
the inquirer. In such cases the Service may also refer applicants to consult- 
ing engineers and may indicate what should be the approximate cost of plans 
and specifications as are desired, and when requested to do so may inspect 
such plans when prepared, and even at times detail a representative to demon- 
strate to the person or company who has constructed the plant improved 
methods of operation. 

(4) The Service may on request make examinations of the methods of indi- 
Aiduals, comiianies, or corporations in handling forest products and prepare 
plans fqr the improvement of such methods, provided that the purpose of the 
Service in undert.iking such work is primarily to reduce the waste in handling 
and utilizing forest products and to obtain information that will be generally 
useful in the industry concerned. If no new information is likely to be ob- 
tained, work should not Ite undertaken and the applicant should, if possible, be 
referred to a consulting expert. 

(5) In cases of active cooperation, such as is outlined in the two foregoing 
paragraphs, there should be a renumeration to the Service based on the total 
cost of the service rendered, including sufiervision, but such cost should be 
reduced by the extent to which the work is experimental. When practically 
all of the work is investigative and the results are of value to the general 
public, a large share of the cost may be borne by the Forest Service. 

(6) In all work undertaken in cooperation with any company, organization, 
(T individual the right to the first publication of the results will be reserved 
by the Forest Service. 



I 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 75 

DUTIES OF PRODUCTS MEN IN DISTRICTS. 

Close attention sboukl be given to problems arising in the ntilizatiou of 
forest prodncts on the National Forests. To assist in this Prorlncts representa- 
tives are assigned to certain districts, their duties being as follows- 

(1) To carry on investigations for administrative purposes at tiie direction 
of the District Forester. Such investigation should be closely coordinated 
with or made a part of the district work in Silviculture. 

(2) To carry on investigations for scientific purposes in forest luoducts. in 
accordance with the approved program* of investigative work and under the 
direction of the Branch of Products. The duties and responsibilities of the 
District Foresters in reference to such investigations are stated in Service 
Order 41, and are identical with their duties and responsibilities in connection 
with other lines of investigative work in the districts. 

Investigations for administrative purposes will have priority and should 
take precedence over scientific investigations, when necessary, in the judgment 
of the District Foresters, sub.iect to the following procedure :' 

(1) The cost of investigations to secure information upon which to base 
timber sale contracts or policies will be paid from G. A. funds, except as 
noted below. 

(2) When, in the opinion of the District Forester, it is deemed expedient 
to withdraw a man from general investigative work in Products and assign 
him to administrative work in connection with timber sales, the District 
Forester should : 

(o) Notify the chief of Products in cases where it is necessary to make 
other arrangements for continuing the investigative projects. 

(6) Provide for the expenses incident to the administrative assignments 
from G. A. funds and not from funds allotted for the investigative projects in 
Products. 

(3) When it is necessary for a man assigned to general investigative work 
in Products to devote only a part of his time to administrative assignments, 
and such assignments do not materially interfere with his investigative work, 
his entire salary may be paid from the allotment for Products, but in all 
cases the traveling and other expenses incident to administrative assignmentFi 
should be paid from G. A. funds and charged to timber sales. When the full 
time of the man is required for such administrative assignments he should 
be transferred from the general investigative work to timber sales, and other 
provision made for conducting the investigative projects which have been 
assigned to him. 

DUTIES OF SUPERVISORS IN RELATION TO PRODUCTS 'WORK. 

That the Products work in the districts may be of most value to the admin-, 
istration of the National Forests, it should be the duty of the supervisor to 
request the District Forester for information regarding the strength or other 
properties of wood on their forests: to call to the attention of the District For^ 
ester the unmarketable species on their forests which occur in sufficient quanti- 
ties to warrant an investigation of their properties and suitability for pulp, 
alcohol, turpentine, or other wood products, and also to cooperate with the 
Products representatives in investigating the supply and demands for stumpage 
upon their forests, the extent, character, and cost of logging oiieratious in the 
vicinity, the use and manufacture of different classes of timber, and the demand 
for various foi'est products. They should ascertain possible uses for dead tim- 
ber, inferior species, and material not used in current sales, and should make 
every effort to promote the use of such classes of material by informing possible 
purchasers. In this connection the work of Products will closely correlate with 
that of timber sales. 

In the permanent improvement work on the Forests the supervisor will be 
given all possible assistance in ai)plying a proper preservative treatment to the 
timbers used, such as poles, posts, etc. When in the judgment of the super- 
visor a preservative treatment is advisable and practical, he should communicate 
with the District Forester before such timbers are put into use. If a preserva- 
tive treatment is decided upon, it should be given in accordance with the in- 
structions contained in the publication entitled " Instructions for the Building 
and Maintenance of Telephone Dines on the National Forests." 

At the discretion of the District Foi-ester, small experimental treating plants 
will be constructed and operated on or near National Forests where they will be 
of value to the Forests and to the community. The object of such plants will 



76 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

be to etlucale the people iu the use of wood preservatives "and to promote eco- 
nomical utilization. Recommendations for the establishment of such plants 
should 1)6 made to the District Forester by the supervisor. 

In general, the district office, as well as the Madison Laboratory and other 
stations, will, so far as possible, give assistance and information to individuals 
or organizations in developing and carrying out systematically the practical 
utilization of all Forest products. 

IMPROVEMENTS. 

POLICY. 

It is but natural, from their situation, that the National Forests represent 
pioneer conditions. For a long time it will be necessary to expend time and 
money on the construction of improvements which will afford security against 
fire and make the resources of the Forests fully available. Not only will the 
fund specifically appropriated be used, but, so far as may be permitted under 
the terms of the appropriations for general expenses, such work will be carried 
on in connection with general administration. In all cases the classes of im- 
provement work which afford security against fire will be given preference over 
those classes which help to make the Forest resources available. Pi'oper pro- 
tection and the fullest use of the Forest resources depend mainly upon facilities 
for transportation, communication, and control. All parts of the Forests should 
be accessible by roads and trails; there should be telephone communication be- 
tween settlements and Forest officers' headquarters and with lookout stations; 
and in most cases suitable living accommodations must be provided for the field 
force. For the fullest use of the forage resources water for live stock may 
have to be developed and range fences constructed ; to reduce the hazard and 
the cost and difficulty of controlling forest fires, firebreaks and other works 
must be constructed. 

The construction and maintenance of improvements require the most rigid 
economy consistent with the fulfillment of their purposes, particularly since 
they afford greater opportunity for inefficiency and extravagance than any 
other line of work. Because of these facts all plans for improvements demand 
the most careful consideration both as to preparation and execution. The For- 
est Plans .section of the Manual provides that the imiu-oveiiient plan shall be 
shown on a map or maps supplemented by reports which cover the need, char- 
acter, and cost of the projects. 

TRANSPORTATION. 

Adequate facilities for travel and transportation are of first importance. 
Trails and roads may be constructed by the Forest Service, but steam or elec- 
tric roads and boat lines operated by private interests are to be utilized as a 
part of the transportation system, available for use by Forest officers. 

Transportation Plans. 

The need for extension of transportation routes on each Forest should be 
detoruiined by the District Forester from information prepared by the super- 
visor. This information will show for each ranger district the number of 
miles of roads and trails or other means of travel for each township, the total 
value of the Forest property, the rental value, the fire liability, and the annual 
cash and unrealized revenues. If it is desired to show a percentage of -iccessi- 
bility, twelve (12) miles of road or trail to each township should be taken as 
the standard. Territory which can be readily traveled by saddle horses and 
by boat is to be classed as provided with standard means of transportation. 
Such territory should be appropriately designated on the improvement map. 

Map. 

Plans for extending the transportation system will be shown on a map on 
which the existing routes are also shown. It should be supplemented by esti- 
mates of cost of the projected improvements, the estimates to be in sufficient 
detail to indicate the character of the construction. Methods for the location 
and survey of roads and trails are given in the Instructions for Making Forest 
Surveys and ;Maps. 

Roads and Trails. 

All roads and such trails as will eventually be widened into roads should, 
When.it is feasible, be surveyed by a competent engineer. The ultimate neces- 



GENERAL ADMIN^lSTRATIOlS]' AND PROTECTION". 77 

sary road system should be determined, and those roads which unquestionably 
will be built should be located immediately and the right of way secured against 
alienation. 

A system of roads should be planned which will place every portion of the 
Forest within a distance of at least li miles of a wagon road, and it will be 
the aim of the Service to complete such a system as soon as practicable. A 
pack train can then transport supplies from the point to which they are 
delivered by wagon to any field camp and return in a single day. 

Bridges. 

Bridges other than very simple ones should be planned in detail so that the 
District Forester can approve their design and method of construction. 

Water Transportation. 

When navigable waterways present means of transportation the improvement 
plans should include estimates for the construction or purchase of boats, 
launches, or ferries. 

Speeders. 

When they can be used without too great danger and when the permission 
of the owners can be obtained the use of speeders, motor cars, and hand cars on, 
railways and logging railroads should be carefully considered, and their utility 
and cost should be set forth in the Improvement report. 

Purchase of Equipment. 

The purchase, rather than the hire, of pack animals, teams, wagons, scrapers, 
road graders, stump pullers, and other road-building equipment should be con- 
sidered if it is evident that a very effectual saving can be made. The possibility 
of using this equipment in tire protection will also influence its purchase. In 
reporting on the purchase of horses or other live stock, the cost of maintenance, 
including wintering, should be given particular attention. 

COMMUNICATION. 

Of scarcely loss importance than the system of transportation is the system 
of conmumication, which includes telei)hone lines, signal systems, and malj 
service. 

Signals. 

In the absence of telephone communication a signal system may be devised, 
though it has been found that they are not satisfactory even under the most 
favorable conditions; they should, therefore, be considered as a temi'orary 
makeshift, to be replaced by telephone communication as soon as practicable. 
If a supervisor desires to adopt a signal system, he will reix>rt to the District 
Forester, describing in detail the particular system which he wishes to install. 
If approved, the District Forester will issue definite instructions for its 
installation. 

Mail Service. 

While the Post Office Department is extending its service just as rapidly 
as conditions warrant, it may happen that, owing to the rapid development of 
the National Forests, the Post Office Department is not fully informed of the 
need for additional service. When the sui>ervisor becomes satisfied that addi- 
tional service is justified he should lend such assistance as may be proper to 
residents who may petition the department for increased mail facilities, or he 
may report the situation to the District Forester. If the District Forester 
approves, he may prepare a Secretary letter addressed to the Postmaster 
General describing the situation and requesting additional service. 

Telephones. 

Telephone communication is indispensable to fire protection and to quick 
and efficient methods of conducting National Forest business. After the trans- 
portation system has been reasonably developed, telephone communication is 
of the greater importance and should be given' precedence. 

The ultimate telephone system on the Forests will undoubtedly represent a 
very large investment and the maximum efficiency and service must be aimed 
at. Full details of construction are given in the circular "Instructions for the 
Building and Maintenance of Telephone Lines on the National Forests." 



78 THE NATIONAL PORESl? MANUAL. 

Telephone Plans. 

The iilan for a telephone system will include a map and a report. The map 
will show existing Forest Service and private lines and their character, ami 
the location of exchanges and instruments, also the location and character of 
all new construction which will be necessary to meet the needs of Service busi- 
ness during the next five years. In addition, the map should show high-power 
electric transmission lines, roads, trails, ranger stations, lookouts, and all 
other points which may influence the establishment of the system. 

The report will discuss, in the order of their importance, the proposed new 
lines, their need, location, character, and cost. The telephone systems should be 
grouped by natural divisions and each division designated by its two terminals. 
A branch line should be designated by its terminal and the divisions of which 
it is a branch. 

The District Forester will prepare, from the information furnished by the 
supervisors, a map of tlie entire district, showing the existing and proposed 
lines; this will insure coordination of plans between the various Forests and 
with the private systems. He will then issue instructions covering the general 
plan of the telephone system for each Forest. 

TULNQ^ IMPROVEMENT. 

For the complete and most economical use of the forage on the Forests, water 
may have to be developed and fences, corrals, bridges, trails, and other works 
constructed. Since such works directly benefit the stockmen, the Forest Service 
will aiiot funds for their construction only in exceptional ciises when the benefit 
to the Forest plainly warrants the expenditure. The expenditure of funds 
for these purposes can sometimes be made more effective if the assistance and 
cooperation of interested stockmen can be secured. 

The location and character of works needed for this purpose should be shown, 
so far as possible on the improvement map, supplemented by a report describ- 
ing the conditions which indicate the d'^sirability of their construction, and the 
specific nature of the works proposed, and their cost. 

TIMBER SALE IMPROVEMENTS. 

Generally, timber operations on the National Forests are so extensive that 
the purchaser can be expected to construct all the works necessary for the 
removal of the timber, and the usual policy of the Service will be to offer no 
assistance in the actual construction of such works. If, howe\ex'. bodies of 
timber can be made accessible to small operators and the sale of timber made 
certain by the construction of roads, chutes, or flumes, or by clearing streams 
for driving, these works may be undertaken by the Service, and the supervisor 
should include the necessary lecommendations, with a description and estimate, 
in his improvement plans. 

r 
PROTECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS. 

Firebreaks, lookout stations, and other works required to protect the Forests 
from fire are dealt with in the Forest Fire Potection Plan. In the improve- 
ment report the supervisor should include a summary of the works of this 
character, and give a very brief description and estimate of their cost. 

Hanger Stations. 

Buildings may be constructed for the field force to afford necessary shelter 
and to furnish an office for the efficient transaction of business. Land may 
be cultivated for the economical production of forage crojts, and fences built 
to insure needed pasturage for live stock used by Forest officers in their work. 
The buildings may be substantial houses to be used throughout the year, or 
they may be merely such structures as will afford the necessary shelter and 
domestic conveniences for officers during summer. These summer camps should 
be constructed where needed for the use of patrolmen, officers in chai'ge of 
timber sales, or at such points as will serve the needs of officers traveling 
through the Forest. , 

Cost. 

ITnder the provisions of the appropriation act of March 4, IDll (.36 Stat.. 
1246), the cost of any building shall not exceed .$650. It is expected, however, 
that this limit will not be reached, except possibly in the case of rangers' head- 
quarters. Summer quarters ordinarily should not cost more than $150. 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 79 

Barns, sheds, aud other small structures may be constructed at ranger head- 
quarters when needed. Corrals may be built in connection with barns or 
pastures. 

Ofiice buildings may also be constructed for the use of district rangers or 
for summer headquarters of the supervisor when the necessity Ciin be shown. 

Plans for the erection of buildings or fences, to insure pasture or crops, 
will include a map to show their location aud a report setting forth their need, 
character, and cost. In preparing plans and specifications for buildings the 
designs given in " Standard Plans for Buildings " should be consulted. 

Survey of Administrative Sites. 

As rapidly as possible, all administrative sites used as headquarters for 
Forest otiicers should be accurately surveyed and mapped on a scale of not 
less than 4 inches to the mile. This map should show topography, cover, soil, 
and the location of all improvements. The accompanying report should de- 
scribe conditions and improvements, and should outline plans for the future 
development of the site for administrative purposes. 

PROCEDURE. 

Allotments. 

Allotments to the Forests from the improvement fund will be made by the 
District Forester, in conformity with the improvement plan, to provide for 
the construction of specific projects. Allotments will also be made, on the 
basis of the supervisor's annual estimates, for specific projects of maintenance 
of improvements, which can not be carried on by the regular field force in the 
time available for such work. Specific projects which have been approved and 
allotted for can not be abandoned without the approval of the District Forester. 
Supervisors may transfer a part of the funds allotted for one approved project 
to another project, provided the transfer does not involve the aliaudonment of 
any project. 

Improvement Contingent. 

A contingent fund of approximately 5 per cent of the improvement allotment 
to the district should be reserved at the beginning of the fiscal year by the 
District Forester. Allotments to complete the more imiwrtant approved projects, 
the cost of which has been underestimated, should be made before this con- 
tingent is subsequently allotted to new projects of equal or lesser importance. 

Cost Keeping. 

The cost of each project will be kept separately. In the case of large projects 
a classified cost record should be kept ; this will serve as a measure of efficiency 
and also as a guide in future work of the same character. 

Annual Statistical Report (Form 446). 

Supervisors will include in their annual statistical report (Form 446), for 
each class of improvement: (1) The amount completed at the beginning of the 
fiscal year for which the report is to be made; (2) the amount made during the 
fiscal year; (3) the total to June 30 (being the sum of 1 and 2) ; aud (4) the 
present value of the total improvement, estimated on. the cost of replacing it, 
both labor and material, less the depreciation if the improvement is not now 
practically as good as new. 

Cooperation. 

Many of the improvements proposed will be of service to the general public, 
and every effort should be made by the supervisor to obtain the assistance and 
cooperation of individuals and ,of the county authorities in the construction of 
such projects. 

Rights of Way. 

Rights of way for telephone lines should be obtained by purchase. The form, 
a sample of which has been Issued to the supervisors, should be used. Ordi- 
narily the nominal sum of $1 should not be exceeded in purchasing rights 
of way. 

Rights of way for roads and trails will generally be granted free of chnrge 
by landowners, but when they can not be so obtained and the road or trail 
is an important one, the assistance of the county should be sought to have a 
right of way condemned. 



80 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 

Title to Lands for Improvement. 

Buildings and other structures should be erected only on withdrawn adminis- 
trative sites or on National Forest laud, which has been properly posted. If 
r^overnment land is not available the laud should be leased. The policy oiit- 
lineti under " Quarters " should govern supervisors in the matter of leasing laud. 

Signs. 

All trails and roads in or outside the Forests used by Forest officers hi the 
transaction of their duties, and all streams and other prominent natural features 
should be provided with suitable direction or identification notices or signs. 

Disposal. of Debris. 

All debris and refuse resulting from improvement work should be properly 
disposed of in order .to reduce the fire hazard and to insure neatness and 
cleanliness. 

Contracts. 

Improvement work can often be performed more economically by contract 
than by day labor. Contract work, to be successful, requires extreme care in 
drawing up the specifications and close supervision on the ground during con- 
struction. In order to guarantee a satisfactoi-y fulfillment of the contract. It 
may be necessary, in some cases, to detail a Forest officer to the project until 
it is completed. 

Request for Bids. 

When the sui)ervisor decides to let a contract for improvement work he n-ill 
prepare the request for bids on Form R. The specifications should describe the 
project in minute detail. In addition to the quantity of material required the 
quality should be stated. In every case where it is necessary to give a clear 
understanding of the project the form should be accompanied by blue-print 
drawings or plans. All accompanying papers should be securely fastened to 
the form and upon it should api>ear the statement. *' In accordance with the 
attached plans and specifications which form a part of this bid." 

Bids should be sent to as many prospective bidders as practicable, and every 
effort should be made to secure the best possible terms for the Government. 
The procedure which covers the authority of officers to accept bids is given 
under paragraph 25 of the Fiscal Regulations. 

THE PXTRCHASB OF MATEBIAIj. 

Contracted Materials. 

Contracts for certiiin classes of material used in improvement work are let 
by fiscal years. Notice will be sent supervisors before July 1, giving the names 
of successful bidders and the contract price for each class of material. Super- 
visors will order material for which an annual contract has been let only from 
the contractors. 

Care must be taken to furnish exact shipping directions, together with a 
Government bill of lading, and instructions regarding its use, whenever material 
is ordered. 

Purchase of Barb Wire. ' 

Barb wire is ordered and charged for by pounds, but furnished in reels, which 
are not exactly uniform in weight. Consequently the total pounds furnished 
may be little inore or less than ordered. The following model may be used in 
preparing Form A, to be sent when an order for barb wire is placed : 

reels 2-pt. galvanized Glidden barb wire, 

po unds , • 

at $3.05~peFcwt. 
Annual contract. 

If the signed voucher when received from the company checks with the ship- 
ment, it should be certified and mailed to the District Forester for payment: 
otherwise a new form should be prepared and returned to the company for 
signature, together with a letter of explanation. An addressed franked envelope 
should always be included with orders. The weights per mile of the two kinds 

of wire usuallv furnished under contract are as follows : 

founds. 

2-pt. galvanized Glidden barb wire, approximately 330 

2-ply barbless wire, approximately 310 



GENEEAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 81 

Standard Telephone Equipment. 

Before ordering material for telephone construction the circular " Instruc- 
tions for the Building and Maintenance of Telephone Lines on tlie National 
Forest," should be consulted to secure conformity with the standards of con- 
struction and equipment prescribed therein. 

Telephone Wire. " 

In ordering telephone wire the amount desired should be given in miles, 
although payment is made by the pound. No. 12 BB. wire weighs approxi- 
mately 16.5 pounds per mile and No. 9 BB. about 330 pounds. Both wires 
are furnished in one-half-mile coils. 

The following form is a model Form A to use when telephone wire is being 
ordered. If a voucher covers both annual contract and uncontracted material, 
the words "Annual contract " should be placed opposite each item which is on 
the contract list, instead of being written at the bottom of the Form A. 

6nii]es ( pounds) No. 12 BB. galvanized-iron telephone wire, at 

.$3.89 per hundredweight. 

2 miles ( pounds) No. 9 BB. galvanized-iron telephone wire, at 

$3.68 per hundredweight. 

(Annual contract.) 
" U. S. F. S." Stock. 

The contract price for the current year should always be stated on the 
voucher. In ordering, the statement should be made that the wire is to be 
shipped from the stock sealed and stamped " U. S. F. S.," and shipments re- 
ceived without this seal and stamp should not be accepted. 

Insulators and Brackets — Instruments. 

Insulators and brackets are included in the annual contract. In the case of 
instruments and extension bells, the type should be given, whether 1,000, 1,600, 
or 2,500 ohm resistance, and orders for all other equipment and tools should 
conform as nearly as possible to the names and descriptions used by the com- 
pany. Catalogues or booklets of the accepted bidders for different classes of 
material will be furnished supervisors each year. 

PURCHASE OF IMPROVEMENTS. 

When there are suitable quarters or other improvements on an uuperfected 
entry within the Forest, and the claimant desires to relinquish his claim and 
dispose of the inipro\ ements, tbeir purchase may be considered. 

In such cases the policy and procedure outlined in Reg. L-41 and in the in- 
structions covering Administrative Sites (p. 53) and under Quarters (pp. 19-21) 
shoi'Jd be followed strictly. 

After tbe relinquishm.ent has been made and the purchase authorized by 
the District Forester, the supervisor will complete the purchase and submit 
the Form A to the District Forester, together with a bill of sale (which must 
be properly witnessed and acknowledged), executed by the former owner. In 
no case can the purchase price of a building exceed $650. 

Relinquishment of Unperfected Entry. 

The land on which purchased improvements are situated must pass to the 
control of the United States by lease if patented, and in such case the lease 
must contain a clause providing for retention by the United States of title to 
the improvements and the right to remove them at the expiration of the lease, 
or by lease or relinquishment if an unperfected entry. (See Quarters — Leas- 
ing Kanger Stations, p. 20.) The relinquishment nuist be entirely voluntary 
(see Reg. L^l), must be on the regular land office form, and nmst be filed 
in the proper land office before payment for the improvements will be made. 
A copy of it will be forwarded with the Form A and the bill of sale to the 
District Forester. 

PROPERTY. 

CXrSTODY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. 

Responsibility. 

Each member of tlie Forest Service will be held resiJonsible for the proper 
use and protection of any Government property which may come into his 

50599°— 12 6 



62 THE NATIONAL FOEEST MANUAL. 

custody or control in any manner whatsoever. Economy must be observed in 
requisitioning or purchasing supplies and equipment. Articles must not be 
requisitioned or purchased unless the need for them is established, nor should 
they be obtained in excessive quantities. Expensive ai'ticles must not be used 
when cheaper articles will answer the purpose equally well. 

Individual Accountability. 

Each member who receives property must receipt for it, and in addition to 
assuming responsibility for its proper use and protection must account for it 
as prescribed in the following procedure. Having receipted for a nonexpend- 
able article, a member will be relieved of responsibility and accoimtability only 
on a receipt from another member after a duly authorized transfer of the 
article has been made, and the transfer has been recorded by the property 
auditor, or by an approved certificate of loss or sale, or by reimbursing the 
United States for the value of the article. No receipt should be signed until 
its correctness has been verified, nor until the articles to be receipted for have 
been checked and actually delivered to or placed at the disposal of the mem- 
ber signing the receipt. The fact that these precautions were not taken will 
not relieve the member from responsibility in the event that a discrepancy 
is discovered after the receipt has been signed and the member has been 
charged with the articles on the records of the property auditor. 

Service Accountability. 

A record of all the property of the United States in the custody of the Forest 
Service will be kept by the property auditor. The record of improvements on 
the Ts^ational Forests will consist of signed maps and returns, filed annually 
by the supervisors, through the District Forester, which will show the kind, 
number, and cost of all improvements existing at the date of the return. 

The record of nonexpendable property will show the total number and 
Aalue of all the articles in the Service and the number and value of each 
article charged to the members individually. 

- The record of expendable property will show the kind, quantity, and value 
of the articles (including printed forms) obtained for use during the preceding 
fiscal year and on hand in depots at the end of the preceding fiscal year. 

Expendable and Nonexpendable Property. 

A11 articles of supplies and equipment used in the Service, whether fabricated, 
purchased, or requisitioned, are deemed nonexpendable, and must be accounted 
for to the property auditor, except those specified in the List of Expendable Arti- 
cles (Form 262). This list will be furnished uix)n request by the property 
auditor. 
Supply Depot, Ogden, Utah. 

A depot of supplies ir. located at Ogden, Utah, where a stock of standard 
articles of equijiment, supplies, and blank forms is carried. The depot is pro- 
vided with facilities for the printing of letterheads and for the manufacture of 
rubber stamps. A field purchasing agent is located at the depot to facilitate 
the prompt purchase of standard articles and to assist the District Foresters 
and F'orest supervisors in procuring supplies and equipment other than stand- 
:ird when authorized by the Forester. 

Requisitions. 

Standard supplies and equipment (see Form 261, List of Standard Articles 
of Equipment and Supplies, and Form 258, Index of Standard Forms), may 
be procured upon requisition on the property clerk. Requisitions for standard 
articles for use on the National Forests must be signed by the supervisor, and 
for other administrative units and for field parties by the officer in charge. 
Requisitions for supplies and equipment other than standard articles must be 
signed by the Discrict Forester or by an equivalent executive officer. 

Requisitions must be in duplicate on Form 668. One signed copy will be 
sent to the property clerk without a letter of transmittal, unless an explanation 
is necessary. The other copy will be retained for checking the articles when 
received from the property clerk. On the first day of January, April, July, 
and October of each year supervisors, chiefs of maintenance, and officers in 
charge of experiment and other field stations will make requisition for the 
equinment, stationery, office supplies, and printed forms required in their 
work, respectively, during the ensuing three months. Each sheet must be 
marked " Quarterly Requisition." The property clerk is not expected to fill 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 83 

quai'teiiy requisitions immediately upon their receipt. All other requisitions, 
however, will be filled promptly, aud any delay should be reported to the prop- 
erty clerk by letter and a copy sent to the District Forester. Quarterly requi- 
sitions should be made as complete as possible, and special requisitions should 
be avoided, since this will facilitate the economical and efficient handling of the 
work at the supply depot. 

Shortage or Error in Shipment. 

Shipments will be carefully checked and responsibility for error fixed before 
leaving the supply depot. Upon receipt of a shipment the consignee must at 
once unpack it and check the articles against tlie retained copy of the requisi- 
tion and the invoice Form 939. If any discrepancy is discovered, the property 
clerk or other consignor must be immediately informed. 

Methods of Shipment. 

Supplies will be sent by mail under frank when practicable, and all ship- 
ments so made must comply strictly with the regulations of the Post Office 
Department. Copies of these regulations are obtainable from the supply 
depot. 

Large shipments will be made on departmental bills of lading, by freight, but 
may be made by express when necessary. Shipments should not be prepaid 
except when the transi)ortation company is engaged in local business only and 
refuses to accej^t the shipment on department bill of lading. 

The headquarters of some supervisors are located in towns remote from the 
railroad, but reached by stage lines with which express companies have no con- 
nection. Shipments on bill of lading to these points will be made to the 
nearest or most covenient station from which, by previous arrangement, the 
shipment will be forwarded to destination. When this is done notation of the 
fact will be made on Form 939 and on the package. In such cases the for- 
warding charges only should be paid by the consignee, for which a receipt 
showing rate and weight must be taken and submitted with the monthly 
reimbursement account or with a Form A voucher. When the payment of 
charges is demanded on shipments which are marked " Prepaid in full to desti- 
nation," the consignee should secure definite information from the consignor 
before making payment. 

Property Procured by Purchase. 

Forest officers (ex;cept a purchasing agent) making a purchase under a letter 
of authorization of expendable or nonexpendable articles will prepare three 
copies of Form 939. One copy will be retained as an invoice. A second copy 
will be signed as a receipt and sent with the voucher covering the purchase to 
the district fiscal agent. The third cojjy will be sent to the proi)erty auditor. 
This is required whether the settlement is on Form 4 or on Form A voucher. 
The property auditor, upon receiving the copy from the district fiscal agent, with 
his indorsement of payment thereon, will indorse upon the copy received from 
the member making the purchase a certificate that the nonexpendable articles 
have been charged, and return it to the member. Reimbursement vouchers 
(Form 4) containing property will not be paid unless accompanied by Foi*m 939. 

A purchasing agent making a purchase of property under a letter of authoriza- 
tion will prepare, by carbon duplication, two copies of purchase order. Form 
942, and two copies of Form 939. He will keep one copy of the Form 942, and 
sign and send the other copy to the dealer, with a properly prepared Form A 
voucher, to be signed by the dealer and returned to the purchasing agent. 
When necessary he will send the dealer a department bill of lading with the 
order and voucher. He will initial the Form A voucher returned by the dealer 
and send it to the member to whom the property is to be charged. At the same 
time the order is sent to the dealer the purchasing agent will send one copy of 
the Form 939 to the member and the other copy to the property auditor. 

The member, upon receipt of the property, will enter in the spaces provided 
on the copy of the Form 939 received from the purchasing agent the condition 
of the property and the date of its receipt. He will sign the Form 9.39 as a 
receipt, and the Form A voucher, and send them to the district fiscal agent. 

W^hen the voucher is paid the district fiscal agent will enter the number of 
the paid voucher on the Form 939 and send it to the property auditor. 

' The property auditor will charge the nonexpendable property to the member 
and send him the copy of the Form 939 received from the purchasing agent, 
with a certificate indorsed thereon that the nonexpendable property has been 
charged. 



84 THE NATIONAL FOKEST MANUAL. 

Forest Custodian. 

The District Forester will designate a custodian for each Forest, who will 
be accountable for the equipment used on the Forests. He may, In his dis- 
cretion, designate either the supervisor or the forest clerk as custodian, and 
when the latter is designated the supervisor should be instructed to transfer, 
on Form 039. all the property with which he is then charged on the records of 
the property auditor. Before making a transfer of this kind the supervisor 
should prepare a property return and forward it to the property auditor, by 
whom it will be verified and returned to the supevisor. The property return 
Rhonld then be made the basis for the transfer to the forest clerk. This pi'o- 
cedure will be followed in subsequent transfers. The supervisor will be held 
resiionsible in all matters relating to the supplies and ^quijnuent used upon the 
Forest, except for their custody and record when the clerk is custodian. He 
is I'esponsible for furnishing adequate quarters for storing and means for pro- 
tecting supplies and equipment, even though the clerk is designated custodian. 
Instruments and other nonexpendable articles must be kept under lock, and 
the key will be retained by the custodian. 

Property Procured by Transfer. 

When exjiendnble property is Issued by a property clerk to a custodian two 
copies of Form 930 will be prepared and signed by the property clerk. He will 
keep one copy and send the other to the custodian to whom the property is 
issued. 

Transfer of nonexpendable property between members of the Service, except 
as provided under property accounting on the National Forests, will be made 
in accordance with the following procedure: 

When nonexpendable pro])erty is transferred by the property clerk to a cus- 
todian three copies of Form 930 will be ])repared and signed by the property 
clerk as invoices. He will send two copies to the property auditor and the 
third to the custodian. 

The custodian, upon the receipt of tlie property, will enter, in the spaces 
provided on the Form 939 received from the property clerk, the condition of the 
property and the date of receipt ; he will sign it as a receii)t and send it to 
the property auditor. 

The iiroperty auditor, upon receiving the Form 930 from the custodian, 
will credit the property clerk and charge the custodian with the property trans- 
ferred. He will indorse upon the two corresponding forms (039) received 
from the proj>erty clerk a certificate of the transfer, and send one to the prop- 
erty clerk and the other to the custodian. 

The property clerk or ether custodian who transfers property is not relieved 
of accountability until the receipt of the member to whom the property is 
transferred has been received by the property auditor and the transfer has 
been recorded. 

On Forests where the supervisor is custodian nonexpendable property re- 
ceived in his absence will be receipted for on the Form 939 by the acting super- 
visor in this manner : 

" John .Tones, Supcrt'i-'ior. 
" Bj' William Smith, Acting HuperviHor.'" 

This procedure will be followed by other members in charge of executive 
offices or field stations. 

Propei-ty to Individuals. 

AYhen proix'rty is transferred to a member as an individual and not as an 
officer in charge, he must sign the Form 939. 

When nonexpandable property is furnished for temporary use by a custodian 
to another meml)er a receii)t will be taken, but the transaction will not be 
reporteti to the property auditor, unless the member fails to return the property 
within the time agreed upon, in which event a transfer should be effected 
in the manner herein prescribed. 

PROPERTY ACCOTJNTINa ON THE NATIONAIj FORESTS. 

Custodian's Becord. 

An account will be kept on property record cards (Form 331) of all non- 
expendable articles obtained by the supervisor through purchase or requisi- 
tion. This accoinit may include, in the discretion of the supervisor, expendable 
articles also. The cards will be filed alphabetically by names of articles, and 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 85 

will show the total number of each article, number of each issued to subordi- 
nates, and of those kept on hand for distribution. Each transaction which 
affects the property on a Forest, whether by purchase, transfer, certificate of 
loss or of sale will be immediately entered on the proi^er card or cards 
(Form 331). 

The account with " stock " will include only those articles actually placed 
in stock or transferred thence to or from an individual. In all respects the 
account with stock should be handled in the same manner as those with indi- 
vidual members. 

Property issued by a custodian to a Forest officer will require the prepa- 
ration and signature by the custodian of two copies of notebook Form 874-16, 
which will then be sent to the officer. The officer will, upon receipt of the 
articles, sign both copies, and return one to the custodian and keep the other. 

Property returned to a custodian by a Forest officer will require the prepara- 
tion and signature by the officer of two copies of notebook Form 874-16, which 
will then be sent the custodian, who. upon receipt of the articles, will sign 
both copies and return one to the officer. 

Property transferred between officers will require that the officer from whom 
the property is received will prepare and sign three copies of notebook Form 
S74-16. He will send one of them to the recipient of the property and the other 
two copies to the custodian. The recipient will, upon the receipt of the property, 
sign the Form .874-16, which has been previously signed by the transferring 
officer, and send it to the custodian. Upon receiving the Form 874-16, which 
has been signed by both officers, the custodian will sign the two copies received 
from the transferring officer and send one of them to each of the officers con- 
cerned. The transfer will at the same time be entered upon the proper' card 
(Form 331), and the transfer receipt (Form 874-16), signed by both officers, 
will be filed behind a guide card bearing the name of the officer to whom the 
prope»-ty was transferred. A notation of the transfer will also be made on the 
original receipt of the officer who transferred the property. 

Property temporarily transferred between officers requires only that a receipt 
be taken on Form 87'*-16. The transaction will not be reported to the custodian 
unless the recipient fails to return the property within the time agreed upon, 
in which event a permanent transfer should be effected in the manner hereto- 
fore prescribed. 

The same procedure will be followed when nonexpendable property is fur- 
nished for tempoi'ary u&e by custodians to other members of the Service. 

Ranger's Becord. 

The copy of the Form 874-16, signed by the custodian, will constitute the 
basis for the ranger's record of the property in his custody. Not less than 
once a year each ranger and all other subordinate Forest officers will, by direc- 
tion of the supervisor, submit to him in duplicate on Form 874-16 a signed 
list of the property in his custody. As soon as the correctness of the list is 
established both copies will be signed by the custodian, who will keep one 
and return the other to the ranger, when all previous Forms 874-16 relating 
to the account can be destroyed. 

The custodian may, in his discretion, prepare the return and forward it to 
the ranger for verification and signature. 

Loss of Property. 

Property lost or stolen must be promptly reported to the District Forester 
on Form 858, in duplicate, when the member charged with it is satisfied it 
can not be recovered. The member charged with responsibility will not be 
relieved unless the statement made on Form 858 shows, beyond doubt, that 
eveiy reasonable precaution had been taken to prevent the loss or theft, and 
that every reasonable effort toward recovery was made. When tools or equip- 
ment are left for a time in unoccupied cabins, it is required that reasonable 
precautions be taken to secure the articles against theft. When the property 
for which the custodian is accountable is lost by any other member than the 
one to whom it had been issued, the certificate on Form 858 must be signed 
in duplicate by the member to whom the property was issued, and authenticated 
by the sujiervisor or other officer in charge, in the space provided. 

The District Forester will, by indorsement in the space provided, on Form 
858, either relieve the member from, or charge him with, responsibility for the 
loss, and will send both copies of the Form 858 to the property auditor. 

When the member is relieved from responsibility for the loss the property 
auditor will credit him on the record and will certify on the Forms 858 re- 
ceived from the District Forester that the decision of the reviewing officer has 



g6 THE NATIONAL FOKEST MANUAL. 

been complied with, and that tlie necessary entries have been made on the prop- 
erty records, and Will send one of the forms to the member'. 

^\'hen a member is charged with responsibility for the loss of the property, 
the property auditor will enter upon the Form 858 the cost value of the prop- 
erty. He will prepare a letter of transmittal (Form 861) to the district fiscal 
agent at Ogdeu, Utah, and send the Form 861 and the original of the Form 858 
to the member, keeping the duplicate Form 8"»8 in a temporary file. The mem- 
ber will remit the value of the property to the district fiscal agent at Ogden, 
accompanied by the Forms 861 and 858. Upon receijit from the district fiscal 
agent of the Form 858 with the certificate thereon that payment has been made, 
the property auditor will credit the member on the record and send him the 
F'orm 585 with a certificate thereon that the necessary entries have been made 
on the property records to close the account. 

Each article lost must be reported on a separate certificate of loss (Form 
858) ; provided, however, that any number of articles lost at the same time and 
imder the same circumstances will be included on one certificate (Form 858). 
For example, all the articles contained in a lost shipment will be included on 
one certificate. Report of lost property will not be made on the same Form 
858 with report of unserviceable property condemned or abandoned. 

Abandonment. 

Worn and damaged property and inexpensive camp equipment in possession 
of field parties may be abandoned in the field when it is impracticable to re- 
turn it for condemnation as herein prescribed. An explicit statement of the 
date, cause, and location of an abandonment must be forwai'ded immediately 
to the District Forester on Form 858 in duplicate. The action to be taken will 
then follow the procedure for lost property. 

Condemnation of Property Having no Sale Value. 

Nonexpendable property worn out or damaged beyond repair which has no 
sale value will be retained when the supervisor is cuscodian until it can be 
inspected and condemned by the District Forester or his authorized representa- 
tive. Supervisors who have been relieved of the custody of nonexpendable 
equipment on the Forest by transferring the custody to the forest clerk are 
authorized to inspect, condemn, and destroy nonexpendable equipment which 
is no longer serviceable and is beyond repair and which has no sale value. 
A certificate will be prepared and signed by the custodian on Form 858 in 
duplicate, on which the inspector will also certify that the property has been 
inspected, condemned, and destroyed. Both copies of the certificate (Form 
858) will be submitted for the approval of the District Forester. The copies 
will then be sent to the property auditor, who will credit the member on the 
records and inform him of the action taken by an indorsement on one copy of 
the certificate. 

Instruments of which replaceable parts become broken should not be con- 
demned and destroyed, but requisition should be made upon the property clerk 
for new parts, which will be classed as expendable. Calipers, for instance, are 
easily damaged in use by the graduated bar being broken. When this happens 
a new bar should be obtained by requisition and the instrument repaired. 

Condemnation of Property Having a Saje Value. 

Nonexpendable property which is worn out or damaged beyond repair or 
which is of no further use to the Service, but which has a sale value, will be 
retained until it can be inspected and condemned by an inspector or a district 
executive officer and its sale authorized in writing on Form 217. When the 
estimated value of the condemned equipment does not exceed $500 the authori- 
zation may be signed by the Forester or the District Forester. When, because 
of its remoteness and the comparatively small value of the property, the inspec- 
tion by one or other of the officers specified is impracticable, a list and descrip- 
tion of the articles, with si>ecific reasons for their condemnation, may be for- 
warded to the District Forester. When the estimated value exceeds $500, 
specific authority must be obtained from the Secretary of Agriculture. 

A certificate of condemnation and sale will be preiiared by the supervisor 
on Form 217, in duplicate. The sale of the property will be advertised by 
notifying interested parties by letter and by posting notices (Form 259) in 
post oflSces, telegraph offices, and other public places. No expense will be 
allowed for advertising, except when the value of the proiierty to be sold clearly 
justifies such advertisement, and then only by written authority of the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture. When tJie property is sold the officer to whom the au- 
thority was granted will pay all necessai-y expenses, such as auctioneer's fees, 



GENEEAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 87 

drayage, and purchase of money order, and will remit the net proceeds by 
postal money order to the district depository, accompanied by a letter of trans- 
njittal (Form 861). He will send both copies of the Form 217 to the District 
Forester. 

When the sale is approved by the District Forester he will send both copies 
of the Form 217 to the property auditor, who, upon receiving through the dis- 
trict fiscal agent the Form 861 with the indorsement of payment thereon, will 
credit the officer who made the sale and inform him of the action taken by 
stamped indorsement on one copy of the Form 217, to which he will attach the 
original Form 861. 

Annual Property Return. 

Ancually, on January 1, a property return will be prepared on Form 330 
in duplicate by every member of the Service who is accountable for property 
on the records of the property auditor. On this return will be entered the 
articles on hand as shown on the last return, the articlefs received by transfer 
or purchase since the last return, the articles disposed of by transfer, by certifi- 
cate of loss or of sale, and the balance on hand on the date of return. Both 
copies will be signed and sent to the property auditor. As soon as the correct- 
ness of the retui-n is established, both copies will be signed by the property 
auditor, who will keep one and return the other to the member making the 
return. 

Property Auditor's Report. 

Annually the property auditor will furnish each District Forester a state- 
ment of the value of all nonexpendable property charged to each of the Forests 
within his district. He will also furnish upon request of a District Forester 
a detailed statement of the number of instruments and other articles of equip- 
ment of any special kind charged against any or all of the Forests within the 
district. The property auditor will also furnish the District Forester a state- 
ment of the value of the expendable supplies obtained by the resjjective sujier- 
visors within the district, both by requisition on the supply depot and by 
purchase under letters.of authorization. These statements will be used by the 
District Foresters as a basis for property inspection and for comparing the 
efficiency of the various supervisors in the handling of equipment and supplies. 

Property Inspection. 

Periodically an inspection will be made of the property in the hands of 
Forest custodians. When the inspection is made the custodian will prepare and 
submit to the inspecting officer a property retui'u (Form 330) in duplicate, in 
the manner prescribed for the annual property return. The inspector will then 
check the property on hand against the return. If the property on hand agrees 
with the return, he will certify to the fact on the return and send both copies 
to the property auditor. If any discrepancies are found the inspector will 
make no changes in the return, but will send it to the property auditor, with a 
letter stating the discrepancies. The inspector will also submit to the District 
Forester a report on the condition and sufficiency of the equipment and supplies 
on hand. 

Storage. 

Property charged to members of field parties, which is no longer needed and 
which can not be advantageously returned to the property clerk, will be placed 
in the care of the most accessible Forest officer, and a memorandum receipt 
taken on Form 874-16. When this is not practicable the property may be 
placed in storage, but a letter of authorization will be obtained from the 
District Forester to cover the expense. Storage fees may be paid by the mem- 
ber charged with the property and the receipt of the storage company sub- 
mitted in his reimbursement account, or on Form A voucher for payment 
directly to the storage company by the district fiscal agent. Property placed 
in the care of another member of the Service or in storage remains chai'ged 
to the member until its final disposition by transfer (Form 939). 

Final Settlement. 

Final payment for salary or reimbursement will not be made to members 
severing their connection with the Service who have been in any way responsible 
for public property until evidence shall have been furnished that it has been 
properly accounted for. The executive officer in charge will be held responsible 
for notifying the district fiscal agent before fTnal payment of salaiy is made, 
or before final payment is made on reimbursement vouchers. 

o 



LEJa'l.q 



